Your Guardian Angel
by cLerith raven
Summary: Aerith is an Angel of Nibelheim sent to watch over Cloud, the prince of Midgar. Their lives change to a happy one. But evil lurks in the shadows waiting to rise... Will they have a happy ending?
1. Prologue: Den of Angels, Nibelheim

Your Guardian Angel

**Your Guardian Angel**

Prologue: Den of Angels, Nibelheim

Nibelheim…

Legend tells of Nibelheim, a wondrous place, a den of special beings called 'Angels'. Angels were always female ones, for it the female who is caring and loving in nature. The Angels were the ones who watched over people in the Planet who are very troubled in their lives. The Angels guided the humans and provided support when needed. They protected their Soul Mate, the human they watch over, and will do everything in their power to save them from suffering, even if it costs them their lives.

Nibelheim…

It's neither in the Promised Land nor in the Human world. Nibelheim exists between the two worlds, and the Angels are considered blessed beings who act in accordance with what the Oracle Twins desire. The Oracle Twins, the messenger of the Gods… they were the two most powerful Angels in Nibelheim who command all lesser Angels. The Oracle Twins were always the same, never changing, immaculate and undying. Their words are law and what should always be followed. They never speak of unpleasant things and they have the ability to see the future that is to come, whether good or bad and what they say will always come to pass.

Nibelheim…

A beautiful place, a paradise of unending happiness, it is the Sanctuary of Hope and Refuge. This place is always peaceful and full of light. A place where every Angel is full of hope, it is the place where every Angel can rest.

Nibelheim…

The Den of Angels, the place where our story begins. It is the story of an incomplete Angel who finds the true essence of being a Guardian Angel, and her Soul Mate who helps her find peace and absolute happiness.

Her name is…

Aerith…


	2. Chapter 1: Angel of Mine

Your Guardian Angel

**Your Guardian Angel**

Chapter 1: Angel of Mine

The Oracle Twins were in their room, a white room in the Holy Fortress, meeting place of the Angels. There they stood, facing each other, holding hands and a floating marble basin, with intricate curves, between them. They were watching over a certain human, the prince of Midgar, Cloud. They have been observing his actions in the past year, keeping an eye on everything that goes into his mind. And for the past few weeks, he had been restless in his sleep and when he's alone, he tends to walk back and forth all over that room, just like what he was doing at that very moment.

"He's doing it again, Alyssa," said the first Oracle.

"Yes, I see it, Nicole," the Oracle named Alyssa agreed.

"What should we do? Should we send an Angel to look after him?" the Oracle Nicole asked.

Alyssa walked over to the balcony of their room. She pushed the white, satin curtains aside and opened the doors. The warm wind blew in; her blue and white robe swayed with the wind. "If we will send an Angel, send her,' Alyssa said.

"You mean Aerith, don't you?" Nicole asked, looking at her twin.

"Yes, this will help her," Alyssa replied.

Nicole closed her eyes. When she opened them, her eyes have changed color, from the ice blue eyes she had to bright green ones. "Aerith…" she called out.

Aerith was in her favorite place, her garden in Nibelheim. Aerith loved flowers and so she decided to make a garden of her own, full of flowers she loved so much.

Aerith picked a flower and smelled its sweet scent. Her brown hair danced with the wind and her pink dress swayed along with the warm breeze. Suddenly, Aerith felt the touch of a hand on her shoulder, and she heard the Oracle's voice. It was clearly the call from the Oracles.

"Aerith…" Nicole said.

"Yes, Oracle, why did you call for me?" Aerith asked.

"We have a task for you," Nicole replied.

"I understand. I'll be there right away," Aerith said.

Aerith felt the hand on her shoulder rise. She turned around and looked toward the direction of the Holy Fortress. She spread her wings and flew towards the Fortress. Aerith landed on the balcony of the Oracle Twins' room.

"You have a task for me, Oracles?" Aerith asked as she bent down.

Alyssa walked toward Aerith and pulled her up. "There's no need for so much formalities, Aerith."

Aerith smiled at the Oracle's kindness. "Thank you," she said.

"Aerith, you are the one we chose to watch over the troubled Prince Cloud," Nicole informed her.

"The prince of Midgar?" Aerith asked, surprise. "But, that's a very important task. I'm not sure I'm fit for that job."

"On the contrary, you are the only one fit for the job, Aerith," Alyssa declared.

"As you wish…" Aerith said as she bent down.

Alyss and Nicole stood beside Aerith and placed their hands over Aerith's head.

"Angel of Nibelheim, Guardian of Humans. Take flight and go forth, watch over your Soul Mate. Savior of Souls, Warrior of Light. Take flight and go forth, connected is your fate," the Oracle Twins chanted. It was the Spell of Descent, a spell that sends Angels down to the human world.

Aerith's wings opened and a radiant light enveloped her. Here descent has begun.

Cloud walked back and forth around the room. He was troubled, very troubled indeed. Problems have arisen in the kingdom of Midgar lately, and he didn't know what to do. If only his parents were alive, this would all be easy for him. Ever since they died, Cloud's world fell apart. The only things that kept him from giving up were the kingdom and the only family he got left, his sister, Tifa.

Tifa entered the room, surprising Cloud.

"Cloud, Vincent's back!" Tifa shouted happily.

"Where is he?" Cloud asked. Vincent was Cloud's cousin, and the Royal Adviser of Midgar. He has helped Cloud with the pressing situations of the kingdom in the past.

"He's at the Audience Chamber. I'm going there right now," Tifa said. She immediately left then closed the door.

"She's always in a hurry…" Cloud whispered.

"Isn't that what you should be doing too?" a calm voice suddenly said.

Cloud looked around the room, but no one was there. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

"I'm right here, with you…" the voice said, it came from behind him.

Cloud turned around and saw a white light. When the light disappeared, he saw a beautiful girl in a pink dress standing right in front of him. She was smiling at him, with her hands behind her back.

"Who are you?" Cloud asked.

"I'm Aerith," Aerith replied, spreading her wings to shake off the falling feathers before hiding them. "I'm your Angel,' she said, giggling afterwards.

"An Angel?"


	3. Chapter 2: Angels

Your Guardian Angel

**Your Guardian Angel**

Chapter 2: Angels

Cloud just stood there with his mouth open, frozen and paralyzed with what the girl in front of him had just said. "You're an… Angel?" Cloud asked. It was just hard to believe for him. The girl smiled at him, her vivid green eyes sparkling.

"Yes, I am an Angel,' Aerith said, chuckling. "Is it really that hard to believe?" she said as she looked around the room. "I really am in the prince's room or rather, the King's room." she commented when she saw the furniture in the room, everything was elegant and looked so expensive.

"I'm not yet the King," Cloud said as he sat down on a comfortable chair. Aerith was about to say something but Cloud knew what she was going to say, "The coronation's been postponed for a whole year. Why? Death threats, assassination attempts on both my life and my sister's, and the fact that I'm not yet prepared to be a King," he said.

"Are you psychic?" Aerith said, teasing him. Cloud just smiled a bit then shook his head. "So, aren't you going to meet with this Vincent?" she asked. She walked over to where Cloud was sitting and bent down to look at him. She leaned closer and looked at his eyes. "Well?"

Cloud looked away, towards the door. "Maybe later," he said.

"You two are in a fight or something?" Aerith asked. Cloud shook his head. "You're afraid to face him, aren't you? What, you've done something that could be wrong to him or something?" she asked again. Cloud looked at Aerith all of a sudden. She had hit the spot; she had a clue to what was going on in his mind. "So, I'm right…"

"When Vincent left, he said that I'd have to think for myself. But, everything just went a bit screwed up. What with the threats and everything," Cloud explained.

"So, in a sense, you're afraid that he'll scold you? That's childish,' Aerith commented, putting her hands on her hips. "You should be responsible with what you're doing; you're the prince for crying out loud!" Aerith said, giggling but at the same time, pretending to be annoyed.

"What are you? My Angel of my Mother?" Cloud asked, pretty much annoyed.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk… Temper, temper, Prince Cloud," Aerith teased. "When someone talks to you and tells you something, it's best to listen then think things out,' she added. "Now, face Vincent, whoever he is… and I'll be watching… heehee…" she said. "Oh and by the way, Cloud, I want to talk with you after what you need todo today… to get to know you better…" she added. With a snap of her finger, she disappeared and Cloud was not standing in the Audience chamber.

'What the heck? What am I doing here?' Cloud thought. 'She has magic?' Cloud looked around and saw Tifa and Vincent talking near the door. He walked over to where they were. Vincent hasn't changed much, only his hair changed; it was now longer and had reached his shoulder. He was still wearing his black and red robe, and had is trademark bandanna around his head.

"Cloud, there you are. Tifa has just told me of what's happened in my absence," Vincent said. "So, how are you holding up?" he asked, concerned.

"We're fine. Guards are all over the place." Cloud replied simply.

"Hey, I have to go. I'll be heading to the market," Tifa said.

"You're not allowed to go outside, Tifa, it's too dangerous,' Cloud disagreed.

"Don't worry; I have a bodyguard, remember? He's right there," Tifa informed him, pointing at a tall, black-haired man in a dark blue robe. Cloud finally nodded and Tifa ran outside, even ahead of her bodyguard.

"Cloud, let's talk in the meeting room," Vincent said, walking towards the room on his right. Cloud nodded and followed Vincent the room. He took a deep breath before going in; he was very nervous.

Aerith suddenly appeared, looking at the door where her Soul Mate had just gone in. "You have to learn to relax, Cloud," she whispered, bowing her head. She looked up at the door again and smiled before disappearing again to a cloud of sparkling dust.

**--**

Time went by and the sun began to set. Aerith was just sitting on Cloud's bed, facing the balcony, admiring the beautiful color of the sunset. She looked at the door when she heard footsteps coming to the room. It was Cloud, just like Aerith thought. Cloud came into the room with a weary look.

"You look tired. You've been with Vincent all day, right?" Aerith said, standing up. Cloud collapsed on his bed before finally speaking.

"You really do know everything I do…" Cloud gasped.

"Yeah, but I still don't know the real you,' Aerith said. "From what I've seen with you in these past hours, you're too tensed, like everything's gonna go wrong the minute you do something," she added. "Do you know why?"

Cloud looked at Aerith with a questioning look. "Why do you ask so much?" he asked.

"I should know everything I can about you, you're my Soul Mate," Aerith replied.

"Okay… about that,' Cloud began, sitting up. "I'm still not used to the fact that I have an Angel," he said. "I mean, I don't know anything about an Angel. I've never heard of them." he added.

'Oh, that's right. His parents… they were never able to tell him about the legends… heh…' Aerith thought.

"Then, I'll tell you what I know…" Aerith began. "Cloud, Angels are beings, mostly female ones, whose souls have suffered so much. The gods wanted to ease the pain and suffering they felt and so, they created Nibeleheim, the Den of Angels. And from what I've seen and felt, it's a place where peace reigns," Aerith explained.

"So, why do you watch over humans?" Cloud asked.

"The Oracle Twins, they were the very first Angels of Nibelheim. They saw how much humans suffer in this world, and so, they decided to help them, save them. Because of their love and concern for the humans, the gods granted them immortality and great power," Aerith replied.

"Why do you call the humans you watch over your… 'Soul Mate'?" Cloud asked, crossing his arms.

"From what the Oracle Twins told me, it's because our souls are linked, as simple as that," Aerith replied, walking over to the balcony. "And with that up, we still haven't performed the Soul Link. It will let us see more into the other's soul and connects everything about us, kinda like what one feel is what the other will feel as well, and what happens to one happens to the other; only, it works in a one-way direction."

"Huh? I don't understand,' Cloud said, tilting his head in confusion.

"What you feel, I will feel, whether it's pain or sorrow, hate or danger, everything. And what happens to you also happens to me. But, you won't feel what I do, and what happens to me won't happen to you,' Aerith explained further. "Before you ask why, I'll tell you. We Angels will do everything for our Soul Mate; we prevent any harm that may come to them and save them from suffering, even if we die in the process."

"You're already dead, right? How would you die again?" Cloud asked, standing up.

"It's not that we die like humans, our beings just vanish, forever… a price we have to pay for failing our Soul Mate," Aerith said, her voice sounded very sad.

"Sorry I asked…" Cloud said, noticing the sadness in her voice.

"It's fine, I'm just not used to telling it that way yet…" Aerith said, turning around to face Cloud. She managed to smile to lift the mood.

"Why? Haven't you done this before?" Cloud asked.

"I've only done this once." Aerith replied. "I've only been an Angel for six months."

"I see. So, what do we do for this Soul Link?" he asked.

Aerith closed her eyes and when she opened them, they were now pure white. She reached for Cloud's hands, and he held hers. "Human who suffers, open you mind. Human of pain, let your emotions flow. Human I watch, open your heart. Soul Mate of mine, let your feelings show," she chanted.

Cloud closed his eyes and felt like he was surrounded by warmth. 'So, this is what Soul Link feels like…' he thought.

A mist encircled the two and covered them with light. Aerith opened her eyes and so did Cloud as the mist dispersed.

"Cloud, you should get some rest," Aerith said. Cloud nodded and lay down his bed.

"Put your heart at rest, Cloud. I'll be watching you," Aerith assured Cloud.

It was the first time that Cloud had ever felt relaxed, like everything was okay and he had nothing to worry about. 'Maybe, I'll finally get a decent sleep tonight…' he thought as he fell asleep.

Aerith bent down and looked at Cloud's sleeping face. "I'll try my best to ease your suffering… I really will…" she whispered.

Unknown to Aerith and Cloud, the Oracle Twins watched them from the marble basin in their room. The basin's water reflected images of the two.

"Are you sure that this is the right thing to do?" Nicole asked.

"Yes, this is the only way they will both be saved, Nicole," Alyssa replied.

"And so… it begins…" Nicole said, touching the marble basin. The images in the basin's water slowly disappeared.


	4. Chapter 3: Getting To Know You

Your Guardian Angel

**Your Guardian Angel**

Chapter 3: Getting To Know You

Aerith stood near the balcony doors, watching over her Soul Mate. She was happy that he looked at ease. 'Somehow, you look familiar to me. I don't know why…' she thought, sighing. She heard footsteps coming in the room, so she quickly disappeared from sight.

As usual, Tifa was the one who woke Cloud up. She just walked in the room without knocking, just like before.

"Hey, Cloud! Wake up!" Tifa said, shaking her brother.

Cloud opened his left eye first before opening the other. "Hey, Teef… good morning," he greeted with a smile.

Tifa's mouth dropped open. She put her hands on her brother's forehead, checking to see if he had a fever. Tifa found it hard to believe that Cloud was smiling the moment he was awake. Cloud always woke up either frowning or complaining about something.

"H-hey, what are you doing?" Cloud asked, pushing Tifa's hands away. "I don't have a fever okay? I'm fine, I just had a good start is all," he said when he realized what Tifa was implying.

"Where's the real Cloud? What did you do with him? Who are you?" Tifa asked, smirking in her fighting stance.

"Cut that out, already. Do you really want me to be in a bad mood?" Cloud said, standing up.

Tifa pretended to think about it so Cloud threw a pillow at her. "Alright, alright," Tifa said, laughing. "Just get ready; we're going to an orphanage downtown. I'm going to visit the kids there, and you promised you'd come with me this time."

'I almost forgot about that…' Cloud thought. Every weekend, Tifa would go visit the children back at the orphanage, something Cloud admired her for. "Yeah, yeah, keep your butt on, I'll be ready. Just wait for me outside, okay?" he said to Tifa.

Tifa smiled then went out of the room. Cloud shook his head and got ready. Aerith slowly appeared right in front of Cloud, startling him.

"Good morning, sleepy head!" she greeted him.

"Jeez, Aerith. You didn't have to suddenly appear in front of me!" Cloud exclaimed.

"Sorry… I forgot you weren't used to things yet… heehee…" Aerith said, turning her back on him. Cloud just rolled his eyes then threw a pillow at Aerith, hitting her in the back. "Hey! That hurt!" she said as she turned around, stomping her feet.

"So, Angels do feel, eh?" Cloud asked, smiling.

Aerith glared at him. "I'll just be watching over you," she said, and then she suddenly disappeared.

'What's with her?' Cloud asked himself. 'Maybe that pillow really hurt.'

Cloud was ready so he went outside the palace to meet up with Tifa. He saw her, talking with her bodyguard.

"Hey, Teef!" Cloud called out. Tifa looked at him then motioned for him to come near them. Cloud walked over to where they were.

"Cloud, this is my bodyguard, Zack. And Zack, this is my brother, the prince, Cloud," Tifa introduced them.

"Hi, you're new, aren't you?" Cloud said, shaking hands with Zack. Yesterday was the first time he saw Zack; usually, Tifa's guards were females, so this was really new for Cloud.

"Yeah, just got assigned on guard duty," Zack said. "I can't believe royalties are being this close to me, though…" he commented, rubbing the back of his head.

"I told you already! Don't act like we're that special! It kinda feels like you're just being nice to us because we're royalty!" Tifa said to Zack, punching him in the arm.

"That really hurt," Zack said, rubbing his arm. "You're that strong yet you still need a body guard?" he teased. Tifa just stuck out her tongue as a reply.

"Let's go, you two…" Cloud said, walking ahead of the two. They always walked to wherever they wanted to go, just like the ordinary people. They didn't want others to act differently in front of them, so they act like normal people would.

Cloud watched Tifa and Zack argue all the way to the orphanage. Personally, he didn't mind Tifa getting close to Zack. As fas as he knows, Zack is the first guy Tifa had actually been friends with, since she rarely talks to boys.

When the three of them got to the orphanage, the children cheered loudly.

"Hey, there's Zack! And Tifa! And the prince, Cloud!" one of the girls shouted.

Cloud and Tifa looked at Zack. Both of them didn't know that Zack knew the kids.

"You come here?" Tifa asked Zack.

"Yeah, when my cousin was still visiting here, I'd always go with her to watch over her," Zack replied, rubbed the back of his head.

Tifa smiled then went over to the kids to play with them. Cloud shrugged his shoulders then looked at Zack. They both just played with the kids along with Tifa. Cloud was actually having fun, this was his first here after all.

"Hey, Zack… why doesn't she come here anymore?" a boy with freckles asked Zack. Cloud could hear their conversation even if the boy he was playing with was wrestling him.

"She's, umm, busy with things lately…" Zack replied.

"I want to go to the park again! Please take us there!" a blonde girl shouted.

"Don't ask me," Zack said.

The children turned to Tifa and Cloud. "Please take us to the park?" a small girl pleaded Tifa.

Tifa looked at Cloud. Cloud nodded. "Okay," Tifa agreed. The children jumped up and down then ran outside. Tifa, Cloud and Zack followed the children towards the park.

"Zack, does your cousin often take the kids out to the park?" Tifa asked.

"Yeah, she does. She really loves the kids of the orphanage, she was one herself before," Zack replied.

"Really? What was her name?" Cloud asked.

Zack was about to answer her when a girl tripped and fell. Cloud, Tifa and Zack rushed to where the girl tripped.

"Are you alright?" Tifa asked as she bent down.

"I'm fine. My knee just hurts a little bit, that's all," the girl replied. Tifa smiled then supported the girl as she stood up.

"You're sister's really kind,' Zack complimented.

"Yeah, she is…" Cloud agreed. He looked at Zack and saw that he was looking at his sister. He smiled. 'I think I see a potential future bother-in-law,' he thought, looking back at his sister.

They all spent the rest of the day at the park. When the sun was about to set, they all returned to the orphanage.

"Hey, kids, it's getting late and we really need to go back home to the palace," Tifa said.

"Will you come back tomorrow?" a girl with glasses asked.

"Definitely," Tifa replied.

Cloud, Tifa and Zack said goodbye then went on their way back home. Cloud went ahead of the two, straight to his bedroom. He collapsed on his bed, tired, and closed his eyes.

Aerith appeared and, seeing as Cloud's eyes were closed, snuck up on him. She bent down low and looked at Cloud, their faces only inches apart.

"Hey Cloud!" Aerith shouted slowly, like a child. Cloud immediately opened his eyes and sat up abruptly, causing him to tumble, along with Aerith. "Hey!" she shouted as Cloud pulled her arm. Cloud fell first, and Aerith landed on him; now, they were face to face.

The two felt awkward with their position and blushed. "Why d'you pull me for?" Aerith asked, standing up. Cloud stood up as well.

"I wouldn't have pulled you if you didn't startle me like that!" Cloud shot back.

"Alright, sorry…" Aerith said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Where were you all day, anyway?" Cloud asked.

"Watching you, like I said…" she replied. "You really had fun back at the orphanage huh?" Cloud nodded. "You've become really close to the kids back there," she commented.

"Maybe because, we're the same; I know how they feel, not having their parents around and all," Cloud said, softly.

"Cloud, I still don't know how your parents died…" Aerith said, sitting on Cloud's bed.

Cloud took a deep breath before saying anything. "I was ten back then, and Tifa was nine," Cloud began. "We were all at the beach that time. We went for a ride on a yacht, and there was another family there too. Tifa and I played on the deck, near the edge of the railings, and I fell over. My dad, and another man, jumped in the water to save me, but, they both got pulled down by the strong current right after they managed to put me back in the yacht," he said.

Aerith closed her eyes when she suddenly saw an image flash on her mind: a blonde-haired boy, drowning.

"Things got worse, an assassin showed up, and he tried to shoot me. My mother shielded me and she was the one who got shot, and even the other woman standing next to her was killed. Then, he tried to shoot us again, Tifa and me," he continued, sitting down on a chair.

Aerith saw another image, this time, a man in a mask holding a gun, pointing it at the blonde-haired boy and a black-haired girl.

"But, a girl saved us; she bit the assassin's hand and managed to push him away, causing him to fall over. When the captain of the boat came, it was too late," Cloud said, his eyes were tearing up. "After all that, we never saw the girl who saved us again," he finished.

Aerith walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "It must have been so terrifying, seeing your parents get killed," she whispered.

"I couldn't even do anything to protect my mother. And if I hadn't fallen over, my dad wouldn't drown," Cloud gasped, clenching his fists.

"You weren't responsible for anything, Cloud," Aerith comforted him. "Be thankful that your parents saved you; they wanted you to live. They risked their lives for you to live; that's how much they love you," she added as she kneeled in front of Cloud.

"But, I couldn't do anything to help them!" Cloud cried, standing up.

"Exactly; you were a kid, how were you supposed to be able to help? If you tried, you would've gotten killed as well, something your parents prevented," Aerith argued as she stood up, putting her hand on both of Cloud's shoulders. "Your parents would've wanted you to move on now, Cloud. Make them happy, and proud. Be strong, for them, and for Tifa, alright?" she said, holding his hand.

Cloud looked at Aerith weakly, and fell on his knees. Aerith knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around him. "Human who suffers, open you mind. Human of pain, let your emotions flow. Human I watch, open your heart. Soul Mate of mine, let your feelings show," she chanted.

Aerith's wings opened and wrapped both of them. 'Let me take away your pain…' she thought. Soul Link allowed Aerith to take away what Cloud felt, and take it in it as her own. Tears fell from her eyes as she put her hand directly in front of Cloud's heart. "Rest, Cloud," she said. Cloud closed his eyes and he fell asleep.

Aerith stood up and transferred Cloud to his bed with her magic. 'I… If only you knew…' she thought. 'At least, I was able to take way your pain…' she said, smiling a bit. She walked over to the balcony and looked up at the starry, night sky. Her teary eyes gleamed brightly by the moonlight.

The Oracle Twins were watching what had just happened with a relieved smile on their lips. Just like before, they watched in their marble basin.

"Alyssa, it's happened," Nicole said, looking at her twin.

"Exactly how it should be. Aerith, well done…" Alyssa whispered.

"You'll be saved soon…" Nicole said, waving her hand over the basin. Slowly, the images on the water disappeared.


	5. Chapter 4: Incomplete Angel

Your Guardian Angel

**Your Guardian Angel**

Chapter 4: Incomplete Angel

Aerith watched over Cloud all night. But somehow, she felt tired and fell asleep. When Cloud woke up, he saw Aerith sleeping in the chair near him. He stood up and looked at her.

"Thank you, for last night. Whatever you did, it made me feel lighter," he whispered in her ear. Aerith moved her head sideways, hitting Cloud's head. "Ow!" he shouted.

Aerith suddenly opened her eyes and stood up abruptly, causing her to fall. Luckily, Cloud managed to catch her before she hit the floor.

"How can you be so clumsy?" Cloud teased.

"My head hurts…" Aerith said, rubbing her head.

"It's because you bumped yours into mine," Cloud said, chuckling.

Aerith stuck her tongue out at Cloud. Cloud was still holding Aerith, and their faces were very near to each other. Aerith blushed then suddenly stood up straight. But she felt a bit dizzy and wobbled a little; Cloud had to support her to a chair.

"What's happening to you?" Cloud asked, concern was evident in his voice.

"I-I… I guess I just didn't have enough sleep…" Aerith replied unwittingly. When she realized what she had just said, she covered her mouth.

"Do Angels sleep? I thought you didn't," Cloud said, tilting his head.

Aerith looked away then sighed. 'Well, I guess it's time I told him something about me then…' she thought to herself. "I'm not like a normal Angel… I'm very different…" she finally said.

"What do you mean?" Cloud asked.

"I'm… incomplete…" Aerith began. "I'm not yet really dead, just in a coma…" she finished.

"What? I thought an Angel was supposed to be the souls of dead people?" Cloud asked, confused.

"I never said that Angels were the souls of dead people…" Aerith argued. "I… There are many like me… just in a coma but not dead. The reason why we can't just die? Because we left something; we wanted to do something, but we were unable to…" she continued to explain.

"What did you leave behind?" Cloud asked.

"Huh? Uh… umm…" Aerith began. She was about to answer Cloud, but she heard footsteps coming to the room so she disappeared quickly.

Tifa entered the room, without knocking, as usual. She was surprised to see Cloud was awake. "Hey, Cloud! Good morning!" she greeted him. "I see you're wide awake. Good! You have to come with us today; Zack and I are going to take the children to the amusement park!" she added.

"Really? Well, just give me a moment to get ready, okay?" Cloud said. Tifa smiled then left the room. 'I wonder what she was going to say…' he thought. Cloud got ready to leave then went outside to meet with Tifa and Zack.

"Hey…" Cloud said as he ran over to where Tifa and Zack were. "I'm not going to come between both of you am I? I mean, I'm not going to ruin your date right?" he asked in a teasing manner.

Zack and Tifa blushed and looked away. "Cloud!" Tifa said as she nudged her brother in the side.

"Hey, that hurt!" Cloud said. "So, are we going or not?" he asked.

Zack and Tifa nodded then started to walk. Cloud followed behind them. Aerith just watched them walk away. "Zack… how are you?" she whispered in the air.

After a while, Cloud, Tifa and Zack arrived at the orphanage. They went straight to the amusement park with the children when everyone was ready to go. The children immediately ran towards their preferred ride when they came inside the amusement park.

"Hmm… my cousin used to take the kids here as well. They had so much fun here at Gold Rides amusement park," Zack said to Cloud. Both of them were watching Tifa and the other helpers at the orphanage take the kids to the rides.

"Do you miss your cousin?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah, very much. She was always the one to cheer us up when we were down. She was a very bubbly girl," Zack replied.

"Where is she anyway?" Cloud asked. "You said she was busy with things, was that only an excuse?"

"Yeah… well, she's… she's in the hospital, Heather Hospital," Zack replied. "She's in a coma, heart attack," he added.

"What's her name?" Cloud asked. But somehow, he kinda felt like he already knows whose name Zack was going to say.

"Her name is… Aerith," Zack replied.

'I knew it…' Cloud thought. "You said she's in a coma," he began. "Do you think she'll give up?" he asked.

Zack shook his head, and then sighed. "She won't leave; she still has something left to do," he replied with confidence.

"Really? What is that?" Cloud asked. 'If she can't tell me, then I'll have to find out by myself. It's my turn to help her…' he thought.

"I don't know," Zack replied, looking up at the sky. Cloud raised an eyebrow. "She only told me once, when we were kids, that she wanted to meet 'him'," he explained.

"What do you mean by 'him'? Who is he?" Cloud asked.

"Dunno…" Zack replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Cloud and Zack just watched Tifa play with the kids. After a while, Tifa called out to them to help her, and so they did. After a few more hours of playing, they all went home. Cloud, Tifa and Zack stayed for a bit at the orphanage to make sure that the kids get some rest after playing for so long.

When Cloud, Tifa and Zack came back to the palace, Zack excused himself and left since he had somewhere he needed to go to. Tifa and Cloud went to their own rooms. Cloud was surprised to see Aerith sitting by the balcony.

"What are you doing out there?" he asked as he slowly walked over to where she was.

"He told you already, right?" Aerith asked, looking down.

"Yeah…" Cloud replied in a whisper. "What did you leave behind anyway?" he asked.

"A memory… A fading memory that I wish to retrieve," Aerith replied. Cloud tilted his head in confusion; he couldn't understand what she was saying. Aerith sensed this and said, "Why do you wish to know?"

"I want to help you, just as you've helped me," Cloud reasoned out.

Aerith sighed and turned to look at her Soul Mate slowly. "When I was a little kid, I got hit by a car. At least, that's what they told me. But before that, I can't remember anything of my past…" she said. "But, slowly, I'm regaining my memories. But there this one little piece in my life that I can't figure out how to fill," she added.

"Zack said that…" Cloud hesitated to continue his statement. Aerith tilted her head and urged him to continue. "He said that, you wanted to meet 'him'; what does that mean?"

"I always dreamt of someone when I was young, a boy. Somehow, I feel that he can help me find out something about my parents, since I don't remember anything about them," the Angel replied, her voice sounded so sad. "I was just adopted by a woman named Elmyra at the orphanage, the same orphanage you visit," she added.

Cloud decided not to ask anymore questions. 'She'll tell me when she can…' he thought. "Hey, if it can help…" he began. "I'll do my best to help you out, and I want you to remember something."

Aerith looked at Cloud, her eyes were teary. "What… is it?" she asked, sobbing a little, forcing her tears to stop.

Cloud held Aerith's hand and pulled her close. "I'm always here for you, okay?" he said, embracing her.

"Thanks…"Aerith whispered. 'You don't know how much this means to me…'

The Oracle Twins smiled at what they saw.

"Everything is falling into plan," Nicole commented happily.

Alyssa watched as Aerith and Cloud went back inside the room. Aerith told Cloud to sleep at ease since she was going to watch over him. Cloud refused so Aerith had to use her magic to put him to sleep. After a while, Aerith went back outside and looked at the night sky. "Yes, it's going exactly as we've seen, which is why I'm worried," she said.

"Don't tell me you sense his presence…" Nicole said, stepping backward.

Alyssa remained silent and just shook her head a bit. 'I don't know; I'm not sure of anything anymore…' she thought.

cLerith raven:

this is the first time I'm interrupting my story, hehe…

sorry if this chapter's Lousy… hehe… or at Least, I think it is…

pLease tell me what you think, kay?

by the way, the next chapter's going to divert a LittLe from Cloud and Aerith, it wiLL give some time for Tifa, Zack and Aerith's foster family… hehe… hope you'LL Like it!! I may be able to post it tomorrow or the day after!! anyways… take care!!

LAVYAHZ!!


	6. Chapter 5: An Eventful Day

Your Guardian Angel

cLerith raven:

weLL, Like I've said before, this chapter's gonna divert a bit from our AngeL and her SouL Mate… heehee… here's a developing couple and… Let's meet Aerith's family, shall we?

**Your Guardian Angel**

Chapter 5: An Eventful Day

Cloud woke up, startled by the sound of the continuous and loud knocking on his door. 'This certainly isn't Tifa,' Cloud thought, smiling. He got up from his bed and slowly walked over to answer the door. But before his hand even touched the doorknob, the door flew open, knocking Cloud backwards, his back hitting the floor hard.

"Dammit! First you knock, then you'll kick the door open?" Cloud scowled as he stood up, his hands on his back. He looked at whoever was behind the door and was surprised to see who it was. "Tifa? Since when do you knock?" he asked, teasingly.

"I was in a hurry so I didn't go in to wake you up and just banged on the door; I wasn't knocking," Tifa began, crossing her arms. "You were very slow so I decided to kick the door open then shout at you to get up, but…" she added as she shrugged her shoulders. "Seems like you're still alive, so I'll be heading out now," she said as she started to run away.

"Hold it!" Cloud called out. "Where are you going?" he asked as he stood up.

"Out with Zack, to the market!" Tifa replied in a loud voice for Cloud to hear. Obviously, she was far away already.

Cloud shook his head, smiling. Aerith suddenly appeared in front of him that he stumbled backwards, on his back, again.

"Ow! That's the second time this morning!" Cloud complained, his eyes closed.

"I'm so sorry for that…" Aerith apologized, giggling a little. She then turned around and walked over to the balcony. 'The balcony's becoming my favorite hang-out,' she thought, chuckling a little. She looked down and saw Tifa and Zack walking outside the palace together. "Zack likes Tifa, doesn't he?" Aerith asked excitedly.

"What are you so excited about?" Cloud asked as he stood up. He walked over to where Aerith was and stood beside her, placing his hand on the balcony's marble railings.

"If Zack does like Tifa, then she'll be his first love," Aerith announced happily with a giggle. She clapped her hands then held on to the railings too. Accidentally, her right hand landed on top of Cloud's left one. Aerith blushed when she realized this then immediately took her hand off. "I gotta go now, bye!" she hurriedly said. She snapped her finger then disappeared.

Cloud smiled while shaking his head. He lifted his left hand and said, "Heh, what's happening to me?"

Meanwhile…

Zack was being pulled by Tifa all the way from the palace to the marketplace. He really didn't mind, though. They had been to the bakery, to the dress shop and even an antique shop.

"Hey, you're not mad at me dragging you all over the place, are you?" Tifa asked suddenly.

"No, not at all," Zack replied, smiling. 'At least I'm with you…' he thought. 'Man, what the hell are you saying?' he scolded himself, putting his hand on his forehead.

"What are you doing?" Tifa asked, tilting her head.

"Huh? Uh-nothing, nothing at all," Zack replied, shaking his hands.

Tifa smiled then continued running around the marketplace with Zack following beside her. "What exactly are we going to buy here?" Zack asked.

"I dunno… I'm just looking, hehe," Tifa replied.

Zack looked at Tifa, and she didn't notice since her eyes were focused on where they were going. Unfortunately, Zack hit his head on a post due to the fact that his gaze was in a different direction, and he fell to the ground on his butt. Tifa knelt beside him and looked at him.

"What are you doing? Why didn't you avoid the post?" Tifa asked with much concern.

"It's nothing to fuss about, really," Zack said, shaking his head to remove the buzzing he felt. "I just got distracted is all," he replied.

Tifa chuckled at his reply. "If you get distracted so easily, what if I was in danger and you happen to look the other way?" she asked, joking.

Zack didn't take it as a joke though. "Hey, I'm your bodyguard so I can't be distracted when you're in danger," he snapped.

"Alright, alright…" Tifa said, standing up. "It was a joke, you know?" she said as she ran off ahead.

'Great going, Zack; you're so stupid!' he scolded himself. He immediately stood up and ran after Tifa. "Hey wait!" he called out as he caught up to her. He grabbed Tiaf's hands, making her stop. "I'm sorry, okay?" he said, but Tifa didn't say a word. "I'll treat you to lunch to make up for it…" he offered.

"Really?" Tifa said, turning around to face him. Zack nodded. "It's a date then!" she exclaimed, smiling. "I know where to go!" she said, pulling Zack again before he could even react.

Tifa led Zack outside of the marketplace and into another street. After a few more running, Tifa stopped in front of a place called the 'Silver Platter'. "Here we are!" she announced. Zack was pretty familiar with this place, since their family used to eat out here often; but he wondered how Tifa even knew about it. They went in and sat on a table for two beside the window.

"How did you find out about this place?" Zack couldn't help but ask.

"Cloud and I ate here a lot when we were out and he didn't want to eat back at the palace," Tifa answered. Zack looked at Tifa with amazement. "Just eat up, okay? And don't forget, you're paying!" Tifa said, laughing.

Zack shook his head, smiling a bit. "You're pretty amazing," he complimented.

"I think you mean, pretty _and_ amazing…" she suggested. Zack laughed then said, "Yeah, you are."

Zack and Tifa soon ordered up their food and ate. They were telling stories and laughing all the time. People even said comments thinking that they were a couple, and they blushed and denied it all the time. After eating, Tifa saw a flower shop and decided to buy some for her flower vase at home.

"Let's go in!" she invited. Zack had to follow inside.

"Oh, Zack, you're here!" a woman with short, black hair exclaimed. "Lucrecia and Elmyra were looking for you! Says that you should go and visit Aerith some time," she added.

"You know her, Zack?" Tifa asked, surprised. "And who's Aerith?"

"First things first," Zack began, "Tifa, this is Yuffie, my sister and Yuffie, this is the princess," he said. Yuffie nodded and smiled at Tifa. "Aerith's my cousin, the one the kids were talking about; she's in the hospital," he replied to Tifa.

"Hiya!" Yuffie greeted Tifa. "Are you my brother's girlfriend? If so, can I ask you how he got you to say yes to him?" Tifa asked excitedly.

"Shut it, Yuffie!" Zack scowled, blushing a little bit. Yuffie giggled a little and Tifa also blushed.

"No, I'm not," she replied. Yuffie shook her head and said, "Then why are you two holding hands?" Tifa and Zack blushed even more and separated, both looking down. Yuffie giggled again, this time, louder than before.

Yuffie got a bouquet from the glass case behind her and gave it to Zack. "You might wanna give her these flowers if you are planning on making her say yes," she suggested to her brother, whispering in his ear, as she handed him the bouquet. Yuffie got another bouquet, with different flowers this time, and handed it to Tifa. "When you go with Zack to the hospital, Aerith would love it if you hand her these flowers, heehee," she said to Tifa.

Zack rolled his eyes and sighed. "Come on, let's go," he said as he pulled Tifa away with his free hand, since his other one was holding the bouquet. "Thanks!" Tifa shouted as she went out of the door.

"So, where's your cousin confined at?" Tifa asked as they walked.

"Heather Hospital," Zack replied, "Do you want to go with me?" he invited.

Tifa nodded then Zack led her to the hospital. When they arrived, they went to the sixth floor, straight to room 576.

"Here," Zack said as he opened the door. Tifa walked inside and he followed behind. She saw that the room was spacious and a curtain separated the hospital bed from the visiting area where visitors could rest. Tifa was greeted by two children, a boy and a girl who looked like they had the same age.

"Hiya!" the girl said. "Hey, Zack!"

"Who's with 'ya?" the boy asked.

"Tifa, this is Marlene and Denzel," Zack said, pertaining to the girl and the boy, respectively. "Marlene, Denzel, this is the princess, Tifa," he finished.

"Did you come here with Zack to visit Aerith?" Denzel asked.

Tifa nodded with a smile. "Where is she?" she asked.

"My sister's asleep," Marlene replied, "in there," she added as she pointed towards the curtain. Marlene and Denzel took Tifa's hands and led her to the part of the room where Aerith was supposed to be.

Tifa pushed the curtains aside and saw a woman lying on a bed and another sitting in a chair beside her. 'She must be Aerith,' she thought as she looked at the unconscious woman. "Good afternoon," she greeted.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness," the woman greeted back. "I'm Elmyra," she introduced herself. Tifa nodded and laid the bouquet of flowers beside Aerith's bed. "Are you a friend of Aerith's?" she asked.

"Actually, she's with me, Aunt Elmyra," Zack said. He had laid the bouquet he was holding on the table in the visiting area.

"How is she?" Tifa asked. Zack held Tifa's hand and motioned for her to come with him to the visiting area. "The kids can't hear about this…" he whispered. Tifa understood and followed Zack.

They both sat down at the couch. "How is she?" she asked again.

"She's in a deep coma," Zack replied. "She always had a weak heart, ever since her parents died and after she lost her memory during a car accident; her head hit the ground hard" he added.

"Oh… I'm sorry," Tifa said. Zack shook his head. "There's nothing to apologize for, really," he said.

"Why is she in a coma, because of an accident?" Tifa inquired.

"Nope, heart attack," Zack replied.

"Oh… Is Marlene and Denzel your cousins too?"

"Marlene is an orphan, like Aerith, who Aunt Elmyra adopted. Aunt Elmyra's really Aerith's aunt, and mine," Zack replied. "Denzel, you can say he's Aerith's adopted son, since she took him in when we found him," he added.

"Oh, really? She really does love kids then…" Tifa commented as she smiled.

"Yeah, she does; she was even the one who suggested that they take Marlene with them," Zack stated.

'She's kind and admirable…' Tifa thought. They had spent a few more hours at the hospital before going home.

"Hey, Aunt Elmyra, I have to take Tifa home now, it's getting dark outside," Zack said.

"Zack, take care of Tifa, alright? A beautiful girl like her is always prone to danger," Elmyra reminded Zack.

"Thanks," Tifa said, smiling and blushing a little.

"Of course I will," Zack said, opening the door for Tifa. He almost forgot the flowers so he went back inside to get them. They walked all the way from the hospital to the palace.

"Well, here's where I take my leave," Zack said as they reached the palace doors. "You should get some rest now," he added. Tifa nodded and opened the door. As she walked inside, Zack grabbed her arm. "Umm, the flowers…" he shyly said as he handed them to her. "Well, I guess you better head on-"

Tifa leaned over to him and kissed him on the cheek, making him stop and blush. "Thanks, for everything. Good night!" she said hurriedly. She immediately walked inside and closed the door.

Zack was frozen; he couldn't believe what had just happened. It took him a while before everything sunk in. 'Not bad, Zack… not bad at all,' he thought, smiling widely as he walked away.

Tifa went to her room and put the flowers on the crystal vase she had on her nightstand beside her bed. 'What an eventful day…' she thought as she stared at the flowers.

Zack and Tifa didn't notice that Cloud had been seen what happened, along with Aerith. Aerith jumped up and down the minute Tifa kissed Zack on the cheek.

"I told you so!" Aerith happily said to Cloud. She put her hands together then clapped many times. "This is so great!"

"What are you so happy about?" Cloud asked.

"At least, Zack's happy even if I… leave," Aerith said, but the last word made her feel sad a bit.

"You're leaving when you have to, right? Is that after you find what you left behind?" Cloud asked, his voice had sounded a bit sad.

"Yeah, and if I make sure that you'll be alright without me," Aerith said, her jolly voice returning.

"Oh…" Cloud sighed. 'Do you really have to go?' he thought. 'What are you thinking, Cloud? Of course she'll leave, you idiot!' he scolded himself, stomping his foot.

Aerith looked at him, puzzled. Cloud cleared his throat and said, "It's nothing…"

"The sky's filled with stars tonight," Aerith said, admiring the starry, night sky.

Cloud looked up and sighed. "Yeah, it's beautiful," he said, looking at Aerith. She didn't notice him though; she was focused on the starlit sky.

cLerith raven:

… and that's it for this chapter!! tee hee…

oh man, I think I didn't make any sense in some sentences… sorry for that!! heehee… pLease teLL me what you think about it, kay?? hehe… although I think I left the end hanging… if I did, just tell me… hehe… don't be afraid to criticize it, but don't be harsh though, hihi… ()

oh! and thanks for all those who've read my story and for reviewing!! I appreciate every review!!

take care!!

LAVYAH ALL!!


	7. Chapter 6: Truths and Goodbyes

Your Guardian Angel

cLerith raven:

awww… this chapter's going to be sad, guys… so I recommend you to have something to eat before you read it, joke!! It's not Like you'LL really be depressed, but I did though… and I'm the one making the story… LOL… maybe, I'm just reaLLy pathetic… haha…

**Your Guardian Angel**

Chapter 6: Truths and Goodbyes

Nicole and Alyssa stood side by side as they gazed upon Nibelheim. It has been two weeks ever since they sent Aerith to watch over Cloud. The Oracle Twins were worried about something… something evil lurks in the corner; they feel it.

"She's taken long…" Alyssa commented.

"We have to give her more time, Alyssa," Nicole said, looking at her twin.

"Time is something we don't have much…" Alyssa declared, saddened.

Nicole just sighed. 'What Alyssa said is true, but…' she thought as she looked back at Nibelheim. 'We have no choice then,' she realized.

"Aerith…" Alyssa called out to the Angel.

Aerith was watching Cloud, Tifa and Zack eat their lunch on the balcony from afar. She enjoyed seeing the three of them have fun together, arguing and laughing. 'I'll really miss this…' she sadly thought.

Aerith suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. 'They're calling me,' she realized. Aerith slowly went beside Cloud and leaned over to whisper something in his ear. "I have to go for a while," she said, and then she disappeared. Cloud froze, but soon recovered from the shock and acted normal, since Zack and Tifa were watching him, wondering what's with him.

Aerith soared through the sky and entered Nibelheim. She hasn't been here for two whole weeks and she missed everything about it. She immediately went to the Holy Fortress to talk with the Oracle Twins. As she landed on the balcony, Nicole greeted her with a smile and motioned for them to go inside the room.

"You called for me?" Aerith asked, kneeling on one knee.

"Aerith, I'm sorry to tell you this but you have to hurry," Alyssa informed her. "Hurry and finish what you have to."

Aerith was surprised to hear this but soon nodded and stood up, preparing to leave.

"Aerith, do everything that you have to, to get what you want, understand?" Nicole asked as Aerith opened her wings. "It is crucial that you finish today," she added.

"I understand, Oracle," Aerith said, flying off, returning to the human world.

The Oracle Twins watched as she left, with much worry in their hearts.

--

Aerith went straight to where Cloud was, in his room. She softly landed on the balcony, not wanting to startle Cloud. When she entered the room, she had expected Cloud to be there, but he wasn't. Then, she heard his voice coming from the Audience Chamber. She quickly went to where she heard his voice. She saw Cloud, Tifa and Zack together, talking to Vincent.

"Hey, Vincent, you told us you where going to introduce someone to us," Tifa reminded her cousin. "Who is that someone?" she asked.

"That's why I'm here," Vincent announced. He went opened the doors and motioned for someone to come in. Zack was surprised to see who it was, and so was Aerith.

"Lucrecia?" Zack asked, amazed.

"Oh, Zack, I see you're here," Lucrecia said, nodding at him.

"You know each other?" Cloud, Tifa and Vincent asked all together.

"Yeah, we know each other very well. She's my cousin," Zack replied. "And she's… she's Aerith's older sister, her real sister," he added.

"Why didn't I see her at the hospital?" Tifa whispered in Zack's ear.

"Zack, I heard you visited Aerith last week. I'm sorry I wasn't there; I got called out of the kingdom because of an emergency," Lucrecia said, not knowing she had answered Tifa's question.

"How did you two meet, then?" Cloud asked, eager to know more about the two.

"We've been friends for years," Vincent replied. "Then we saw each other again when we were away," he added.

"And now, you're lovers then?" Zack asked in a teasing manner.

Lucrecia giggled then said, "We're engaged, actually."

Tifa smiled widely then jumped up and down. Cloud shook his head then put his arm over Vincent's shoulders. Zack shook their hands and congratulated the two. Aerith just watched, smiling.

'At least I'll be sure that Lucrecia's in good hands when I go away,' she happily thought. She turned around and decided to just wait for Cloud at his room.

It was almost noon when Cloud went to his room. He was startled when he saw that Aerith had gone back. "Aerith, I just met your sister and-"

"I know; I was watching," Aerith interrupted him. She smiled then walked over to where he was. "Listen, Cloud, the Oracle Twins talked to me and I haven't got much time. I'll be leaving today, at dark," she informed him. The smiled on Cloud's face faded away.

"Really? Well, then I guess it's time I gave you this back," Cloud said as he reached for his pocket. Aerith looked at him with much confusion. Cloud took a necklace out of his pocket; it's pendant was a silver cross.

"Are you sure, Cloud?" Aerith asked. She couldn't remember anything about the necklace.

"This was the necklace the girl who saved us dropped and Tifa found it. Tifa was wearing this the second time she went with Zack to the hospital where you were, which was two days ago. Your mother, Elmyra, recognized it as your necklace, the necklace your real Mom left to you," Cloud explained. "Tifa told me that yesterday, but I wasn't able to tell you because I forgot about it," he added.

Aerith slowly went near Cloudand took the necklace. She looked at it, carefully touching the pendant. And as she did, a searing pain in her head made her fall to the ground.

"Aerith!" Cloud shouted as he caught Aerith. Aerith held onto the necklace, but the pain made her bury her head in her hands.

Inside Aerith's head, images and scenes of her past flashed through her mind. But one scene had a strong impact on her.

Aerith saw her Mom get shot in the chest. And the killer pointed his gun at two children. She rushed to bite the killer's hands and he fell off.

Aerith opened her eyes and looked at Cloud eyes full of tears and fear. She remembered everything, absolutely everything. "I… You… We…" she was at a loss for words. She started to cry hard.

"Aerith, I'm here," Cloud said as he put his arms around her. She was shaking. "Calm down, Aerith," he whispered softly in her ear.

Aerith slowly broke away from Cloud and ran towards the balcony. She opened her wings and flew off. 'I… I need… alone… I… confused…' she thought.

Cloud ran to the balcony and saw her flying unsteadily. He couldn't do anything. 'I guess you need some time alone to think…' he realized.

--

Aerith wanted to fly away, away from everything. She was confused and scared. She didn't know where her wings will take her. She wasn't sure where she was going; her eyes were closed. After a while, she slowed down; she was getting tired. She slowly landed on the ground, a meadow full of flowers. She lay down on the grass and closed her eyes. She needed to think, to rest. 'What am I doing? I'm an Angel!' she thought. 'What are you doing, Aerith? You shouldn't be like this!' she scolded herself. 'That's right; I have to… return… Nibelheim." Finally, she slowly opened her eyes and sat upright.

--

The Oracle Twins saw this and were worried.

"Our vision didn't show us anything about this, Alyssa!" Nicole blurted out.

"Yours didn't; mine did, although it didn't show me why," Alyssa confessed. Nicole was shocked. It was the first time that they had different visions of the future.

"You knew this but didn't tell me about it?" Nicole asked loudly, hurt that her twin had kept this secret from her.

"I'm sorry. But I knew you would react like this," Alyssa replied.

"What else did you see?" Nicole asked, her voice was now calm.

"A prophecy fulfilled," Alyssa simply replied. She closed her eyes and said, "Aerith…"

--

Aerith felt the touch of a hand on her shoulder. 'They're calling me…' she thought. She weakly opened her wings and flew to Nibelheim. As usual, she landed on the balcony. But her knees gave in and she tumbled. Alyssa and Nicole saw this and immediately ran toward the Angel and supported her; they took her inside their room.

"Aerith, I'm so sorry about this; I knew this would happen, but I didn't think it would be because of your past," Alyssa apologized; her voice was full of sincerity and sorrow.

"Why this?" Aerith asked.

"This is all part of a prophecy Nibelheim holds," Nicole replied.

"What prophecy?" Aerith asked, puzzled.

Alyssa and Nicole led her into another room, concealed behind a large mirror. Inside, a tall black stone was standing at the center of the room. She didn't understand the writing on it though.

"This is the Stone of the Ancients," Alyssa informed her. "It tells of an Ancient prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled," she added.

"What does it say?" Aerith asked.

"Aerith, there's something you need to know about who you really are," Alyssa said. "You are one of the Ancient Angels of Nibelheim."

"Who? Ancient Angels? What?" Aerith asked, even more confused.

"We had an older sister, Aerith; her name was Holly. She didn't have a twin so she was sent down to the human world to live there," Nicole began. "But she suffered so much, and she became an Angel when she died. She had the blood of an Oracle, but wasn't an Oracle."

"And so, the Gods made her the very first Ancient Angel, an Angel of both human and Oracle blood," Alyssa finished. "And you are one of her descendants, chosen to fulfill the prophecy, as your ancestor did."

"Every sixty years, a descendant of Holly is chosen to fight off an evil being; his name was Sephiroth," Nicole informed Aerith. "Sephiroth was the first male Angel here on Nibelheim, but he resented being the only one. He sought revenge over the Gods for his miserable life, because the woman he loved, Jenova, had died before he even had the chance to confess his feelings for her. He wanted the power of the Gods, to bring her back," she added.

"Holly was the one who stopped him; she sealed him away with her pure and honest soul," Alyssa stated. "And from then on, males were never allowed to be Angels. But every sixty years, the seal weakens and breaks, and Sephiroth would rise again. He was sealed away every time," she finished.

"And I'm the next one?" Aerith asked, finally understanding everything. "I needed to be complete before my Ancient blood would awaken," she realized.

Alyssa and Nicole nodded. "Now that you are complete, your real powers have awakened," they chorused.

Aerith looked at the Stone of the Ancients. Suddenly, the writing seemed to clear; she understood every word. She went near the stone and carefully ran her fingers through the elegant writing etched on the stone. She read the prophecy in her mind.

The Ancient's Prophecy:

One born of Ancient blood,

Descendent of Holly,

Shall rise to fight and take a stand

Against the curse that is Sephiroth.

One of pure light,

Soul of an honest Angel,

Shall seal away the evil

That the cursed Angel brings.

But one Angel stands out from the rest.

She is the one; the key to eternal peace.

Love and friendship will be her only weapon,

To banish the darkness away from the Holy Sanctuary.

"I'm that Angel, aren't I?" Aerith asked.

Alyssa and Nicole nodded in reply. "We know that you still have something to do in the human world," Nicole stated. "Go, Aerith, and do what you must," Alyssa added.

Aerith smiled and flew away. She needed to say goodbye to them, one last time.

--

Aerith was still, watching her family from outside the window. Marlene and Denzel were sleeping beside each other on the couch. Her mother, Elmyra was making drinks for Zack and Tifa who were standing near the window, talking to each other. Vincent and Lucrecia were beside her bed, talking to her, informing her of their engagement. And Cloud was nowhere to be seen.

'Marlene, Denzel… I'm going to leave to you the task of telling them how I feel…' Aerith thought. She put her hands together, clutching her necklace, and closed her eyes. She went inside Marlene and Denzel's dreams, putting them in one dream.

"Marlene… Denzel," she called out to them.

Marlene and Denzel looked at her with happiness. "You're back!" they chorused.

Aerith smiled. "Tell everyone, I miss them. And please tell them that I'll never forget them," she said, tears fell from her eyes.

"Why are you saying that?" Marlene asked, tilting her head.

"Marlene, take care of Denzel, Lucrecia, and Mother, okay?" Aerith told Marlene. "Denzel, be strong and make sure that Zack doesn't get into trouble," she told Denzel.

"Okay…" Marlene said, nodding. "But why are you saying this?"

"Won't you be with us?" Denzel asked.

Aerith smiled then hugged the two. "Take care," she whispered. In a flash, everything faded away.

Aerith opened her eyes and saw that Marlene and Denzel had awoken. They were crying so everyone went to them and asked what was wrong. Slowly, and in between sobs, they told them what they had dreamt of. Aerith left, not wanting to see her loved ones cry. She had only one more place to go, one more person to say goodbye to. This will be the hardest thing she'll do.

--

Cloud waited for Aerith on the balcony. He was looking up at the sky, hoping to see an Angel flying towards him. It was already dark that time so he went in. Then, he heard the sound of flapping wings, her wings. He turned around and saw her, gracefully landing on the balcony floor. But there was something wrong; he could feel it.

Cloud ran over to Aerith and smiled at her. Aerith looked at him and slowly forced a smile on her lips; a tear fell from her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I have to go… I came to say goodbye," Aerith said, forcing to stop her tears from falling.

"Is it really time for you to go?" Cloud asked, holding Aerith's hands.

"Cloud, I want you to have this to remember me by," Aerith said. She took Cloud's hand and put something on his hand. "I have to go," she said, turning around.

Aerith was about to spread her wings when Cloud suddenly wrapped his arms tight around her. Aerith's eyes widened with shock. She held onto Cloud's arms then she closed her eyes, treasuring the moment, letting her tears flow.

"Don't go," Cloud whispered. Aerith turned around to face him.

"I have to go, Cloud, for the good of everyone," she said, holding Cloud's hands. Cloud looked at her and put his hand on her cheeks. She looked up at him, smiling. Cloud slowly leaned over and kissed her on the lips. Aerith also kissed him back.

Slowly, Cloud and Aerith broke apart. Aerith opened her wings and slowly ascended towards the sky. Aerith still held Cloud's hands.

"Please look after my family for me, okay, Cloud?" Aerith said as her hands slipped away from his. Cloud nodded. "Don't forget me…" she added.

"I can never forget you, Aerith," Cloud said. Aerith smiled as she slowly let go. She mouthed the words, 'I love you,' before turning around and soaring through the sky.

"I love you, Aerith," Cloud whispered, clenching his hands. He felt something in his left hand and slowly looked at it. It was her necklace. He looked at the pendant and turned it over, feeling something engraved behind the cross. "To you, my beloved Aerith, your mother, Ifalna," he read aloud. 'Thank you for everything, Aerith,' he thought as he looked up at the sky. "The sky's full of stars tonight…" he whispered, closing his eyes.

cLerith raven:

aaawww… it's sad… but hey, this isn't the end… hehe… actually, the storyline changed a bit since there were so many characters… hehe…

I think everything happened so fast, no? pLease tell me what you think, okay? I appreciate any kind of review, but pLease don't be harsh… (--)

oh, and pLease don't hate me… (--)

there's more to come anyways…

LAVYAH ALL!!


	8. Chapter 7: The Cursed Angel

Your Guardian Angel

cLerith raven:

hmm… guys, sorry for being sooooooooo Late… I was really busy and the stupid computer got a virus… well, this chapter's gonna be focusing on the reappearance of Sephiroth and the last mystery of Nibelheim… so, pLease teLL me if it's Lame, kay? ()

**Your Guardian Angel**

Chapter 7: The Cursed Angel, Assault on Nibelheim

It has been a month since Aerith returned to Nibelheim. It has been a month since she died in the human world. Cloud kept his promise to Aerith and looked after her family. He had even offered for them to stay at the palace for him to be able to make sure that they were okay.

Today was another day like the other. Everything was peaceful, nothing was wrong. Cloud sat on the balcony, gazing at the heavens, thinking of only _**her**_. He clutched the necklace he wore around his neck, remembering the last moment he had spent with his Angel, and it made him smile.

"I miss you, Aerith," he whispered as he kissed the pendant. He looked up again. A while later, Marlene and Denzel called him for lunch and he gladly came with them. He gazed at the sky once more before leaving the room.

--

Nibelheim was very peaceful. Angels were everywhere, flying, talking and practicing their magic. Only one Angel was absent, very quiet and still in a room hidden in the Oracle Twins chamber. Aerith was floating in the center of the room with her arms wrapped around her legs, her head bent low, covered by her knees; a green aura surrounded her as she lay unconscious. Her hair had grown longer now, reaching her feet, swaying within.

Alyssa and Nicole watched the Ancient Angel sleep. She had been training to use her new powers effectively for the past weeks. She had been working hard to be able to fully control her powers and to utilize her abilities to the fullest.

"She has gone a long way…" Nicole commented, placing her hands on the green aura. It served as a shield for her while she sleeps.

"She has worked harder than any Ancient Angel has ever done," Alyssa said as she placed her hands on her twin's shoulders.

"I just wish it's enough to permanently rid the world of Sephiroth," Nicole whispered.

"You know that, that costs too much…" Alyssa reminded Nicole. Nicole sighed and slowly walked out of the room. Alyssa watched as her sister leaves. "We'll be asking too much from you if we want you to destroy Sephiroth," she says to Aerith. "But, there is one way to be rid of him for good…" she added. "Save his soul."

--

Aerith slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room, not moving her body. She tightened her grip on her legs and slowly bowed her head again. After a while, she opened her arms and wings and slowly landed on the floor as her hair had touched the ground. She looked around and walked over to the door, reaching for the doorknob. She opened it and stepped outside; her hair flew backwards because of the strong wind that blew in the room from the open balcony. Aerith immediately flew outside and hovered above Nibelheim, gazing at the peaceful Sanctuary.

"This may be the last time Nibelheim will be like this…" she said. "Enjoy it while it's there."

Aerith flew down and explored Nibelheim. Everywhere she went, Angels greeted her with smiles and laughter; some even gave her flowers. After a few minutes she stopped and landed on the ground. This was her favorite place, her garden.

"How have you been? I've been gone for so long; things have been busy…" she said, bending over to touch the moist petals of her flowers. She picked one and put it behind her ear. She stayed there for a few more hours, and somehow, she felt sleepy and lay down on the patch of flowers.

--

Aerith's dream…

Darkness covered everywhere. Aerith stood at the center, looking around for any sign of light. She ran and ran and ran… but nothing was there.

"Hello?" she called out. "Hello?" she shouted again. "Where am I?"

Suddenly, a sparkle of light appeared high above her. It was so bright that Aerith had to cover her eyes at first. Slowly, it descended in front of her, swinging from side to side as if it was dizzy. It circled around her, from the bottom to the top.

"What is this?" Aerith asked as she tried to touch the sparkle of light. She held out her hand, her palms facing upward. The light slowly went towards her hand and softly landed on it. There was a sudden burst of light and Aerith closed her eyes. When she opened them, a blonde woman in a white and green gown stood in front of her, holding her outstretched hand.

"Aerith…" the woman called out.

"W-who are you?" Aerih asked. She looked so familiar to her, although she couldn't remember why…

"I am Holly…" the woman replied. Aerith gasped in shock.

"Lady Holly?" she asked, amazed. This was the same person who first sealed away the cursed Sephiroth, the very first Ancient Angel. She had seen a picture of her in the Angels Memorial Hall of Nibelheim where pictures of memorable Angels were displayed all around the room.

Out of the blue, another woman appeared beside Holly. She had dark brown hair and was in a pink and red robe. Aerith smiled because she knew her, a woman from her childhood.

"Mom?" Aerith called out.

Ifalna smiled and nodded at her daughter. "My daughter…" she said.

Aerith ran to her mother and hugged her. It has been so long since she had seen her, and now, she was standing right next to her, holding her. Holly smiled and out a hand on Aerith's back.

"Aerith… we have come here to talk to you," Holly said.

Aerith slowly let go and faced Holly. "What is it that you wanted to tell me?" she asked.

"Aerith, dear, Sephiroth… he's coming back," Ifalna slowly told her. "And you are chosen to fight him, seal him away," she added.

"I know that…" Aerith whispered.

"But there is something more that you need to know, Aerith," Holly stated. "He is coming back to finish what he started, to destroy Nibelheim and wreak havoc on the Heavens."

"We feel his presence growing stronger. His powers are returning to him; his consciousness awakening," Ifalna declared.

"What should I do?" Aerith asked.

"Follow your heart, Aerith… it knows the right path…" Holly replied, slowly stepping backward and fading into the darkness.

"No matter what, your heart will tell you the right way… No matter what, listen to your heart and no one else," Ifalna said, holding her daughter's hands. "Remember that Aerith," she whispered lovingly as she let go and faded away.

"Mom!" Aerith called out. 'I'm alone in this, aren't I?' she thought.

She suddenly heard a familiar voice, "You're never alone," he said. It was Cloud's voice. 'How can I hear you?' she asked.

"I'm always with you…' Cloud said. 'Always…'

Aerith smiled, remembering her lover. "Yeah, I'm never alone…" she realized.

Suddenly, Aerith felt as though someone was behind her, staring at her with his cold eyes. She slowly turned around and saw him, Sephiroth.

Blazing flames surrounded him, slowly spreading around her. His silver hair floated in the air as he looked down.

"Sephiroth…" Aerith whispered.

Sephiroth suddenly glared at Aerith and the flames erupted all over, enveloping her as she closed her eyes. She stepped backwards and tumbled. She felt like she was falling down while Sephiroth looked down at her… it seemed like a never ending fall.

--

Aerith abruptly opened her eyes and sat upright. She was panting and out of breath. 'A dream?' she thought. 'Or was it a premonition?'

She gazed at the sky and stood up. She spread her wings and flew towards the Holy Fortress. As usual, she landed on the balcony. Alyssa and Nicole stood beside the marble basin, their hands stretched above it.

"What are you doing?" Aerith asked.

"Looking into Spehiroth's chamber… the Sealed Abyss…" Nicole replied.

Aerith peered over into the basin and saw an image of a dark place. Only a red glow from within it seemed to be the light. "That's Sephiroth, isn't it?" Aerith asked.

"Yes, it is," Alyssa confirmed. "He grows stronger by the minute; it's only a matter of time before he awakens…" she added. Their hands fell to their side and they slowly looked at Aerith. "Where were you by the way?" she asked.

"We went into your room, but you weren't there anymore," Nicole added.

Aerith told the Oracle twins everything she saw in her dream, especially about what Holly said to her. "If I may ask, how could one destroy Nibelheim?" she asked.

"By destroying Nibelehim's core," the twins replied in unison.

"Nibelheim's core? Where is it?" Aerith inquired.

"It is located beneath your room, Aerith," Alyssa replied. "It is the one guarding you, shielding you in your sleep," she said.

"And you protect it in return, giving it power as you strengthen yourself." Nicole added.

"How would one reach it?" Aerith asked.

"We are the only ones granted access to the core's location; we bear the core's sign on our palms, the Twin Moons," the twins chorused. They showed their palms to Aerith; they had the white mark of a crescent moon on their palm.

Aerith smiled and nodded at the twins. Then, there was a sudden sound of explosion from outside. Shouts and cries echoed throughout Nibelheim. Aerith rushed to the balcony and saw that Nibelheim was under attack. Alyssa and Nicole ran to her side.

"Who's attacking us? How did this happen?" Aerith asked.

Alyssa pointed to a man in a white coat flying above Nibelheim, swinging his sword wildly with red beams shooting out from it, destroying the trees and scorching the ground. "Sephiroth's awake!" she gasped.

"But how? We just saw him unconscious!" Nicole protested. "He must've awakened after we checked on him," she realized.

"Stay here," Aerith said as she flew up, towards the man attacking Nibelheim. Alyssa and Nicole ran inside their room and continued toward Aerith's room; they sealed the entrance to prevent Sephiroth from entering.

Sephiroth sensed Aerith's presence. He grinned and dove towards the ground; he slashed and swung his sword at every Angel he saw, sending them to the Sealed Abyss. He laughed wickedly at his actions, enjoying every moment of it.

Aerith flew after Sephiroth and watched in horror as her friends vanished, one by one. He was too fast for her to reach. "That's enough!" she screamed. Sephiroth continued on his evil deed, roaring with laughter. Aerith got angry and summoned her staff, Angelus. She shot a white magical blast from her staff and it hit Sephirot in the back, sending him cascading onto the ground.

Sephiroth managed to recover afterwards and glared at Aerith. "Meddling fool!" he said with a snarl. "No one can stop me… I will finish what I began!" he declared. He hurled a red hot blast towards the Angel battling him.

Aerith instinctively summoned a force field in front of her. Sephiroth's blast collided with it with a loud crash and smoke enveloped her. When it disappeared, Sephiroth was nowhere to be found. "The core!" she realized as she dismissed her staff. She immediately flew towards the Holy Fortress and had to destroy the walls of her room, since she had no time to fly through the balcony.

Sephiroth now held the Twins trapped inside a red sphere. "Too late, brunette," he teased. A white circle appeared below Sephiroth and they slowly descended through the floor. Aerith hurriedly followed them and was able to pass through before it closed, but her wing got caught in a post and she crashed to the floor.

Aerith got up, holding the arm she fell on. She looked at Sephiroth, wincing at the pain her wing caused her. She saw the Oracle Twins bound by magic ropes and the core, a blue green sphere, shining and spinning at the center of the room. It floated above a marble pedestal with claw-like sculptures supporting its flight. He watched Aerith get up and heal herself. "Why are you doing this, Sephiroth?" she asked him.

"Aerith, is it? The Ancient Angel?" Sephiroth inquired. "Do you know what the core of Nibelheim truly does?" he asked her.

"What are you talking about?" Aerith asked, puzzled at his words. "It serves as the life of Nibelheim," she answered.

"Not just that, Angel," Sephiroth stated. "It is the reason why Nibelheim exists; it cloaks this land from the eyes of normal mortals. It is the one preventing the normal human beings from seeing Angels who aren't theirs," he declared. "So, what do you think would happen if I destroyed it?" he asked, readying his sword to strike the core.

"Don't you dare lay your sword on the core!" Aerith exclaimed. She walked over to Sephiroth and stared at him. "I will stop you!" she declared.

"Try me," Sephiroth taunted. He gripped his sword and struck the core. He was expecting to shatter the core into pieces, but what he got was far from what he wanted.

Aerith had casted a powerful force field around the core before Sephiroth even struck. The force field blew Sephiroth backwards and he hit the wall before dropping to the hard floor; chunks of the wall he hit fell on him. The bind he had on the Twins and the sphere they were trapped in disappeared, and they landed on the floor.

Aerith ran over to the Oracle Twins and said, "Are you alright?" She helped them get up. Both of them nodded in response.

Just then, Sephiroth got up and sent a red beam towards Alyssa and Nicole. Both managed to dodge Sephiroth's attacks and tumbled sidewards. Aerith turned to face her opponent.

"I've had enough of this game, haven't you?" Sephiroth said, grinning as he raised his sword. Aerith got ready to fight, summoning Angelus again.

Sephiroth grinned and levitated the chunks of cement around him. He covered them in a red magical glow and sent them towards Aerith. Aerith easily destroyed each one of them and shot a power blast at Sephiroth. He evaded the attack and charged at her; Aerith pushed him back. Suddenly, Sephiroth appeared behind Aerith and hit her in the back with the handle of his sword and his sheath. Aerith stumbled to the side and groaned with pain.

"You lose," he declared. Sephiroth turned his attention to the core and struck. "See ya," he said as he vanished.

Aerith watched as a glimmer of light erupted from the hole in the core and it shattered into two, crashing into pieces when it hit the floor. The Oracle Twins went to Aerith and healed her pain. They stood up and felt the ground shake; the whole room was falling apart; and the pedestal disappeared through the floor.

"We have to get out of here!" Aerith exclaimed. She took the hands of the Oracle Twins and disappeared immediately. They appeared outside of the Holy Fortress and saw that Nibelheim was falling apart as well. Everywhere they looked, Angels flew off of Nibelheim and into the human world; the shield that separated the Sanctuary from the mortals had been dispersed.

"This is the end of Nibelheim," the Oracle Twins whispered.

--

Meanwhile…

Cloud, Tifa, Zack and the others were enjoying their day out of the palace. They went on a picnic at South Park to have fun hanging out with each other. Tifa, Zack, Marlene and Denzel were fishing at the lake near the cottage they rented at South Park, while Elmyra, Vincent and Lucrecia were talking about their marriage plans. Cloud was sitting alone on a bench far from where the others were. He was gazing up at the sky. He sighed then closed his eyes.

Suddenly, a loud noise was heard from above. And at the same time, all around Cloud, Angels became visible for everyone to see. Everyone panicked and screamed, making Cloud look around him. Cloud was surprised when he saw all of this. When Cloud looked up again, he saw a huge land falling from above. Many winged beings hurriedly flew from that land, going to their world.

"Could that be Nibelheim?" Cloud asked. "What the hell is going on in there?"

Out of nowhere, Aerith and the Oracle Twins appeared beside Cloud. Cloud shockingly looked at them and smiled at Aerith. "You're back!" he exclaimed.

Aerith smiled then nodded. "We haven't got the time to talk," she said. "Nibelheim is falling, literally, and we've got to get people out of here," she declared. Cloud nodded and they all went running to warn the people to get as far away as possible from where Nibelheim may fall.

As they did, Aerith explained everything she can to Cloud. Cloud managed to understand everything she said amidst all the commotion and chaos around them. After several hours, everyone was safe. Nibelheim came crashing down the southern part of the kingdom of Midgar. Everything was in ruins, especially the Holy Fortress. Aerith, Cloud and the others went back at the palace, while others sought refuge at the Shelter.

Everyone who Aerith knew, except for Cloud, was spooked that they could see Aerith, and so, she explained everything to them, along with the Oracle Twins. The last thing Aerith told them was Sephiroth's assault on Nibelheim and its core. But what surprised and got everyone excited was the fact that Aerith and Cloud had an understanding. Although it wasn't the time to be happy and at ease, everyone was relieved that Cloud had finally found someone.

"Alright, stop teasing!" Cloud exclaimed. "We have so much to worry about right now other than my life alone," he added.

"The whole Planet is in grave peril from Sephiroth. He won't stop at nothing to fulfill attain his goal, revenge on the Gods," Nicole declared,

"The only one who can save the Planet right now is Aerith," Alyssa stated. "The fight hasjust begun," she added.

"And I know, I'm not alone," Aerith said, looking at everyone around her, stopping at Cloud who was right beside her. He smiled and held her hand, as if saying that he would never leave her side.

cLerith raven:

Lame isn't it??

so sorry 'bout that… hehe…

pLease Let me know what you think!!

LAVYAHZ!!


	9. Chapter 8: The Final Battle

Your Guardian Angel

**Your Guardian Angel**

Chapter 8: The Final Battle

Aerith stood in the balcony of the palace, staring at the stars in the sky, just like she did every time she was here. It has been a while since she had been here. It has also been a week ever since Sephiroth returned and he's been terrorizing Midgar for a while, sometimes killing and most times destroying things. And every time he did, Aerith and Cloud would be there to fight him off.

Cloud walked in the room after he had gone to check up on Marlene and Denzel. He saw Aerith standing outside and walked over to her and held her hand. "Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked.

Aerith rested her head on his chest and sighed. "I was just thinking about everything that happened these past days," she replied. "Sephiroth, he's really determined to take revenge, isn't he?"

"I guess so," Cloud said, wrapping his arms around her. "But no matter what, we'll stop him. And I'll always be there by your side," he promised.

"Thank you, Cloud," Aerith whispered, closing her eyes. "I know everything will be alright, as long as I'm with you," she added.

Cloud smiled and placed his chin on her shoulders; kissing her on the cheek. "I'm happy you're with me," he said.

'And I promise, I'll never let you go,' he thought.

--

Sephiroth was seated on the ground near the orphanage; he was looking at the building Zack and Tifa had just gone into. He knew who the two were to Aerith and Cloud, especially the kids. They were the perfect target; this was the perfect time to strike. He unsheathed his sword and stood up.

"This should be fun," he said, grinning widely. He prepared to strike.

Meanwhile, Zack and Tifa were having fun, playing with the children. They were completely unaware of Sephiroth's evil plot, until he sent the doors flying, blasting them with red, hot beams. The children screamed and ran, panicking. Zack and Tifa turned to face Sephiroth and stood in front of the children.

"Tifa, get the children to safety!" Zack shouted.

Tifa looked at him and shook her head. "I'm staying to fight with you," she protested.

"I don't want you to get hurt here!" Zack argued.

Tifa stomped her foot and yelled, "I'm not leaving without you!"

Sephiroth shook his head in irritation to what he was hearing. "Being sweet to each other before you die; it's so pathetic that it makes me sick," he commented.

Zack glared at Sephiroth then looked at Tifa. 'Dammit, she's stubborn. No choice, I'll just have to protect her,' he thought as he stepped forward. He drew his sword and got ready to fight. "Alright, you can stay with me," he said, defeated.

Tifa smiled and slid her gauntlets on. "Don't worry, I'll protect you," she teased as she got into her fighting stance.

"Heh, I should be saying that," Zack said, chuckling a bit.

"So, you ready to play?" Sephiroth taunted. Zack and Tifa nodded and started their attack.

--

Aerith and Cloud were running as fast as they can to reach Zack and Tifa. They had just heard that Sephiroth was attacking the orphanage and that both of them stayed to fight. When they arrived, Tifa was crouching, groaning in pain, and Zack was trying to stand up, ending in failure to do so. Aerith ran to Tifa while Cloud rushed to Zack, to help him stand up.

"What happened?" Aerith asked Tifa. She healed her wounds and helped her sit down.

"He tricked us; he took a child with him," Tifa replied.

"What? Where is he now?" Cloud asked, fury was evident in his voice.

"He said something about, 'the place where it all began'," Zack replied. "Where that is, I don't know," he added.

Aerith and Cloud looked at each other; none of them knew where it was. But somehow, Aerith knew who could tell them about it.

"Let's take them home, Cloud," Aerith said. "I also have to talk to the Oracle Twins; they may know something about where Sephiroth is," she added. Cloud nodded as a reply. Aerith snapped her fingers and they instantly disappeared.

Elmyra, Vincent and Lucrecia were surprised to see Zack and Tifa beaten up. They were the ones who took care of them while Aerith and Cloud go to the room where the Oracle Twins were staying.

As Aerith and Cloud entered the room, the Oracle Twins looked at them, knowing full well what they came for. The twins stood up and turned to the couple.

"You want to know where Sephiroth is, correct?" Nicole asked.

Aerith and Cloud were surprised, but nodded later on.

"He's at the Forgotten City of Kalm," Alyssa declared. "The ruined city on the outskirts of Midgar," she added.

"Why there?" Cloud asked. He had heard of the place, but never had the chance to visit.

"It's best to ask Sephiroth himself," Nicole said.

"He may be our enemy, but he'll answer your question; it's his past, anyway," Alyssa added.

Aerith and Cloud nodded and went out of the room. The Oracle Twins are correct, it would be best to hear Sephiroth's story from his point of view. It may help Aerith understand why he's doing what he's doing.

The two walked to the Infirmary in the palace to check up on Zack and Tifa. They were greeted by loud shouting, saying, 'I told you to take care of her!' coming from a young woman in black.

Aerith recognized her right away from her voice and by the way she was stomping her foot, irritated. "Yuffie!" she called out to her childish cousin.

Yuffie was shocked to see that Aerith was standing there, talking to her; she had heard that her cousin was dead. "What in the world?" she gasped.

Aerith smiled and bit her lower lip. 'That's right… She doesn't know,' she thought. She explained everything to Yuffie afterwards.

"Unbelievable…" Yuffie commented. "All that happened in just a month? I was gone for three weeks and this is what happens. You didn't include me in the fun!" she exclaimed, pouting like a child.

Everyone laughed at her childishness. Yuffie laughed with them too. Then, she turned serious and pretended to glare at Zack. "Don't think I've forgotten…" she said, narrowing her eyes. "I can't believe you let Tifa get beat up like that!" she shouted.

"Oh, so that's what the shouting is all about…" Cloud said, shaking his head.

"Geez, Yuffie," Zack said. "We need rest after all that and you're here bugging us!" he complained.

Tifa giggled then said, "It's alright, really. I was the one who wouldn't go away."

"Yeah, 'cause your head is as hard as a rock!" Zack teased.

"I hate you," Tifa shot back.

"I was kidding!" Zack said desperately. The last thing he wanted was Tifa hating him.

Everyone laughed again. Aerith was having fun with her family, just like the old days. 'I wish it would always be like this,' she thought.

"Hey, everyone… we have to leave," Cloud announced. "We're going after Sephiroth," he added.

"We can't let him get away with everything he's done," Aerith said. "And we have to get the child back."

Everyone was quiet for a moment, and then they all nodded. "You have to do what you have to do," Elmyra said.

Lucrecia put a hand on her sister's shoulder and said, "Be careful, okay?"

"Hey, Cloud," Vincent called out. "Be sure to watch your back, and Aerith," he reminded his cousin.

Aerith and Cloud nodded and left the room. Cloud led the way out of the palace and towards the Forgotten City of Kalm. 'This will be the final battle,' Aerith thought. 'I'll make sure of it.'

--

It was already dusk when Aerith and Cloud reached the Forgotten City. It really was in ruins. There were evidence of a settlement around the place; broken glass, old and shattered buildings, and even worn-out clothes.

Sephiroth was evidently waiting for them; he was sitting on the edge of a cliff facing the two. "Finally, you came; I was worried you'd never come," he said, standing up. He snapped a finger and a boy enclosed in a magical sphere appeared beside him. "Get the boy, I don't need him anymore anyway," he said, sending the boy over to Aerith and Cloud.

When the sphere was above Aerith and Cloud, it disappeared and sent the boy falling down. Luckily, Cloud managed to catch him before he reached the ground.

"Thank you so much!" the boy exclaimed.

"I'll send you home, okay?" Aerith said as held the boy's hand, who nodded as a reply. She waved her other hand over the boy and he slowly disappeared. "Sephiroth, I want to know why you're doing all of this. And what is this place to you?" she asked.

Sephiroth grinned and replied, "This is where I was born, where I grew up, and where I met her."

"You mean Jenova, don't you?" Aerith asked. "This is your and Jenova's hometown?"

"Yes, and this is where she was killed," Sephiroth declared.

"How was she killed?" Cloud asked.

Spehiroth looked away and instead stared at a dark part of the whole place. "She was shot in the back, right there," he said, pointing where he was looking. Aerith and Cloud turned to look. "The city was under attack and they burned everything. We were all running away, and I was with her. She was shot, right before my eyes, when I should've protected her," he explained. "Before she died, she told me what she felt. I didn't have the chance to tell her I felt the same way because she died soon after," he added.

"And that's why you became and Angel…" Aerith concluded. "But why do you hate so much, Sephiroth?" she asked.

Flames erupted around Sephiroth. He was angry, very angry. "I asked the Gods to let me talk to her one last time, but they denied me my request!" he replied. "And so, I decided to take revenge on them. They willed for her to die! And yet, they wouldn't let me tell her how I felt!" he exclaimed. The flames around him burned stronger, cackling loudly.

Aerith gasped; she had never seen this much anger in her life. Cloud held Aerith's hand and pulled her behind him.

"And now, you all keep getting in the way," Sephiroth said, gritting his teeth. "This time I won't fail!" he shouted. He sent a wave of magical blast towards the two who were opposing him.

Aerith and Cloud managed to get out of the way, missing the shot by seconds. Cloud drew his broadsword and jumped towards Sephiroth, his sword ready to strike. Sephiroth grinned and parried his attack.

"Do you really think you could defeat me, Cloud?" Sephiroth taunted. Cloud gripped his sword and jumped backwards, landing on a tree branch. Sephiroth charged at Cloud, only to be hit by a powerful blast of magic. He turned and saw that Aerith had shot him with her staff.

"Stay away from him," Aerith said.

"Interesting," Sephiroth commented. He looked at Cloud and smirked. "If I killed her right now, you'd feel what I'm feeling. Then maybe you'd understand," he added, tilting his head.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Cloud warned. He rushed towards Sephiroth and swung his sword. Sephiroth evaded the attack but was surprised, getting a hit from the side. Cloud took advantage of this and kicked Sephiroth down, followed by another electrical shot from Aerith. Sephiroth crashed on the ground, scorching the earth; smoke enveloped him.

Cloud returned beside Aerith and prepared to strike again. Sephiroth stood up and smiled an evil smile. "Do you think that would stop me?" he taunted. Suddenly, a blue-gray glow encircled him, slithering up his legs to his body like a snake. The same blue-gray glow coursed through his arms. He shot a glare at Cloud and sent a wave of magic towards him.

Aerith stood in front of Cloud and dismissed the blast with another one. Sephiroth took this moment and somehow ended up beside Aerith and kicked her in the side, blowing her away. She hit the nearby trees and dropped her staff, unconscious.

Cloud had only gone a step or two towards Aerith when Sephiroth slashed at him. He flipped backwards and landed on the ground, half-crouching, half-splitting, before charging at his enemy. Both fought wildly with their swords, slashing here and there, sparks flying out from their swords. Sometimes, Sephiroth would hit him with a blast or two, which Cloud responded with a thrust of his sword, tearing up Sephiroth's coat.

Aerith stirred, gaining consciousness, and sat upright. She heard a grunt and turned her head to look. Sephiroth had managed to strike Cloud down. Aerith spread her wings and tackled Sephiroth before he brings his sword down on Cloud's body. They both fall to the ground, covered in dirt. Sephiroth recovers faster and binds Aerith's body with magical ropes.

Aerith tries to break free, but Sephiroth manages to tighten the ropes, hurting her. Cloud saw this and rushed at Sephiroth, enraged. He swiped him with his sword, but Sephiroth spins sideward and punches Cloud.

Cloud bends backwards to dodge the punch, and trips Sephiroth by kicking his feet. Sephiroth jumps to his feet just as Cloud lunges forward and sends a fury of kicks and strikes of his sword. Sephiroth manages to block the blonde's attacks with his sword but is soon struck down, falling on his knees.

Cloud then puts his sword on Spehiroth's throat, but Sephiroth uses his sword to take the blade off of his neck. A blue-gray energy erupts from Sephiroth's hands and he punches Cloud, sending him flying off the ground. Cloud hits a rock-hard and grunts. Sephiroth appears before him and stabs him in the right shoulder.

Cloud groans in pain and looks at the blade stuck in his shoulder before looking at Sephiroth, narrowing his eyes. Sephiroth smirks at the blonde. "You can't possibly defeat me…" he hissed.

Aerith gets a sudden burst of energy and a white-green glow envelops her whole body, allowing her to break free from Sephiroth's magic. She summons her staff in her hand and sends a wave of hot blasts at Sephiroth, taking his attention away from Cloud. Cloud uses this chance and holds the blade, takes it off of his body and leaves it stuck on the rock. He swipes Sephiroth sidewards with his sword, but the Sephiroth flies backwards.

Sephiroth soon gets hit from behind by a burst of white-green energy. Sephiroth turns to see Aerith holding up her hand. She had dismissed Angelus and used magic from within her, an Ancient's power. This kind of power was the strongest in the world.

"I've had enough of this!" Sephiroth shouted, furious at how long it's taking him to dispose of his opponents. He had underestimated them.

"Then stop all of this, Sephiroth! Rest!" Aerith exclaimed.

"I won't stop until I get what I want," Sephiroth shot back. He glared at Cloud and held his hand up. Cloud was surrounded by a blue-gray energy and enclosed in a sphere. Sephiroth slowly ascended into the sky, taking Cloud with him.

"What are you doing?" Aerith asked worriedly.

"I'll make you feel what I feel," Sephiroth hissed. He gripped his sword with both his hands and prepared to stab Cloud. "Say goodbye, then," he said as he removes the sphere around Cloud and struck him.

Cloud closed his eyes and waited for the sword to come in contact with his body, but nothing came, and so, he opened his eyes. What he saw had made his eyes open wide with shock.

Aerith was standing in front of him; her back turned on him. She had shielded Cloud with her own body. Blood trickled from her wound, but she smiled. Sephiroth was staring at her, smiling that he had hit her. Cloud fell and landed on his feet, his hands fell loosely at his side, dropping his sword.

Sephiroth didn't take his sword off of Aerith's body. Instead, he even pushed it deeper, piercing through her.

"No!" Cloud shouted. Tears started to fall from his eyes. "Aerith!"

"Heh, pathetic!" Sephiroth muttered. He slowly drew his sword from her body and smirked.

"I'm glad… your safe, Cloud…" Aerith said as she fell down, her wings slowing her descent. Teardrops fell from her eyes, sparkling in the moonlight.

Cloud watched as his loved one descended from above. He manages to catch her body, but soon falls on his knees, weakened. He pulled Aerith close to his body and hugs her tightly. "Aerith…" he whispered softly in her ear. "AERITH!" he shouted.

Cloud's voice echoed throughout the surroundings. The people at the palace were unaware of what had happened. They prayed silently in the Chapel inside the palace. But, somehow, the Oracle Twins sensed what had occurred and bowed their heads, praying in silence with tears in their eyes.

cLerith raven:

I know, I know…

this chapter's Lame… especiaLLy the fight scene… I suck at this…

hey, before you guys go sad with Aerith getting stabbed and everything… I have something to say… it's an essential part to the next, and the last, chapter…

so, pLease Leave a review, okay??

LAVYAHZ!!


	10. Chapter 9: I'm Your Guardian Angel

Your Guardian Angel

cLerith raven:

gawd, I'm amazed I've gone as far as the Last chapter!! I've written some stories, but never even got past the third chapter… CLorith reaLLy brings out a part of me that isn't there… hehe ()

thanks for everyone who read this story!! I'm gLad you Liked it, and I'm amazed at the same time… I didn't actuaLLy think this would be any good… hehe…

**Your Guardian Angel**

Chapter 9: I'm Your Guardian Angel

Cloud held Aerith close to him, his head rested on her shoulders. He tried to keep the tears in his eyes from falling, but it was no use. Sephiroth watched as Cloud cried over Aerith's body.

"Aerith… why?" Cloud asked.

Aerith stirred, she wasn't dead yet. She grunted before saying, "Hey, I'm your Guardian Angel, remember? I can't possibly let anything happen to you."

Cloud looked at her with awe, and then he smiled. "I thought I'd lost you…" he whispered.

"Cloud, Angels don't die… I've told you that…" Aerith said. "But, I'm no ordinary Angel, and so I've retained my physical body… heh," she added.

"But, what's to happen now?" Cloud asked. He looked deeply into her radiant green eyes. She looked so innocent even though she was crying.

Aerith looked away; she knew that the answer would bring him more suffering. After a while, she sighed. "Angels never die, they just vanish," she finally replied.

Cloud looked down and just hugged her again. Aerith suddenly grunted; her wound had hurt.

"I'm not gonna last much longer…" Aerith admitted. "Cloud… I'm really glad you're safe…" she whispered as she placed a hand on his cheek.

Suddenly, green and white arkings appeared all over Aerith's body. And there was one very special mark that appeared on her forehead, a crescent moon. These markings glowed very bright. Sephiroth closed his eyes, blinded by the glow, but Cloud's eyes remained open.

"Aerith?" Cloud asked. Aerith smiled as her whole body fades away, from her foot up to her head. Cloud managed to hold Aerith's hand for one last time before he felt it vanish.

Cloud clenched his fists. He looked around and found what he was looking for… his sword. He stood up and walked over to where it was. He picked up his broadsword, and a red-orange aura covered him. "You'll pay for this…" he whispered. "Sephiroth!" he shouted as he turned and looked up at his opponent. "You'll pay!" he screamed as he jumped up and strike at Sephiroth.

"Hmph, I'd like to see you try!" Sephiroth taunted. He blocked Cloud's attack with ease. "Let's dance," he teased.

Cloud gritted his teeth and charged at Sephiroth even more. His rage was evident with every blow.

--

The Oracle Twins sat beside each other, solemnly praying, chanting words in a different language. They were reaching into someone's consciousness, an Ancient Angel's consciousness. They searched through many dimensions for a while, and finally, they found her.

"Aerith…" they both called out. They opened their eyes, and their pupils turned into viral slits.

--

Aerith was walking along a dark path. No one else was there, she was very alone. She stopped walking and fell on her knees. She felt weak, aware of the fact that she was there, without anyone there for her, beside her. She held her body and closed her eyes.

'So, this is the dark abyss where Angels fade into?' she thought. 'It's so lonely here, so cold.'

Suddenly, a warm light appeared in front of her. It was calling her name. Aerith looked at it. Slowly, two pairs of hands emerged from within the light. They were calling her name. She recognized their voices.

"The Oracle Twins…" Aerith realized. She reached for Oracle Twins' hands. As her hands came in contact with theirs, she felt magic, strong magic, course into her body, deep into her soul.

Aerith closed her eyes as the Oracle Twins pulled her out of the darkness she was in. When she opened her eyes, she was in a white place. The Oracle Twins were standing right in front of her. She looked at them with awe and confusion.

"How did you reach me?" Aerith asked.

"Aerith… an Ancient Angel is the only person who could save Sephiroth from the darkness he's in," Alyssa said.

"An Ancient Angel can never fade away completely…" Nicole added. "A part of your consciousness still exists in the human world," she added.

"How did you reach me?" Aerith asked again. She couldn't understand what was happening.

"Aerith, you left a part of you, of your soul and heart, in the human world," Alyssa began. "With that little consciousness, you remained and never completely vanished. That consciousness is what we sensed and used to reach you," she replied.

"Where is that consciousness?" Aerith inquired.

"A part of you is inside Cloud, inside his heart and soul," Nicole replied. "You and your memories are inside of him, in his mind and body," she added.

What Aerith heard made her smile. She was glad that Cloud treasured her.

"Aerith, find Jenova… She can't completely rest, for she too, wants something that remains in the human world," Alyssa told Aerith.

"That is Sephiroth…" Aerith realized. The Oracle Twins nodded. "Where is she?" she asked.

The Oracle Twins turned around and waved their hands in front of them. Slowly, an image appeared of a silver-haired woman in a black robe appeared. She was sitting alone, staring into space as if she was lifeless.

"Go through here, Aerith," the Oracle Twins instructed. "This is a portal to her world," they added. Aerith nodded, and the Oracle Twins faded away. Aerith did as the Oracles told her and went through the portal.

--

The Oracle Twins opened their eyes. They had succeeded in what they had set out to do, to guide Aerith.

"She knows what to do," Alyssa said as she put a hand on her twin's shoulder.

"She's a wonderful person," Nicole commented. "She will be able to do anything," she added.

Alyssa nodded and smiled. "After all, she's an Ancient Angel," she said.

--

Jenova sat alone, unmoving. She was thinking of someone, of Sephiroth. Nothing seemed to make sense to her. She thought he had felt the same way about her, but he never told her that. She held her body, feeling so alone.

A light appeared in front of her, making her look upward. Aerith walked out of that light and looked at her, smiling at her.

"Jenova, right?" Aerith asked.

Jenova nodded and asked, "Who are you? And how did you know my name?"

"Let's just say that, Sephiroth's told us about you," Aerith replied. Jenova was awestruck; she was puzzled at Aerith's words.

"What? He did? He really did?" Jenova asked, a small smile appeared on her lips.

Aerith nodded and said, "He's been desperate to see you… so desperate that he couldn't rest until he found you."

Jenova tilted her head and looked away. "Where is he?" she asked.

Aerith pointed her hand on an image beside her. It was showing Sephiroth as he fought with Cloud. She then explained everything that she needed to know about what has happened to Sephiroth.

"Go to him, Jenova," Aerith said. "So you can both rest…"

Jenova smiled and stood up. She walked over to the portal and slowly touched it. "Thank you," she said with a nod before she walked through the portal. Aerith smiled.

--

Sephiroth and Cloud continued to swing their swords at each other. Sometimes, Cloud would manage to hit Sephiroth, but the latter would only counter him with a powerful blast of magic.

Cloud was panting, and so was Sephiroth. Cloud was holding his sword in a lousy manner, he was evidently tired. Sephiroth's wings were down and he was heaving, showing his weariness.

"Sephiroth, just stop this! Let's end this now!" Cloud shouted at Sephiroth.

Sephiroth grinned evilly. "Yes, I am going to end this, right now!" he shouted. He held up his hand and prepared to shoot Cloud with a powerful blast of blue-gray magic.

Cloud tried to raise his sword to block what Sephiroth was about to shoot at him. But his hands were too weak and he ended up dropping to his knees.

Sephiroth grinned even more. "Die," he said. He was about to let the magic go when a spirit of a woman appeared before him. Sparkles of light glittered around her, encircling her. Her arms were wide open, as if welcoming him into her arms. The magic he held in his hand slowly vanished as he stared into her eyes. "J-Jenova?" he asked.

Jenova smiled and nodded at him. She held out her hand to reach him. Sephiroth did the same, and they held hands.

"Sephiroth… stop all of this," Jenova said.

"It's too Late for that now," Sephiroth said, looking down. "There are so many sins I've committed."

"Every sin is forgivable, Sephiroth," a gentle voice suddenly said. It was Aerith. She appeared beside Jenova, in her spirit form. "Now, rest. Rest with Jenova," she added.

Sephiroth nodded and closed his eyes. His wings began to fade away. Jenova looked at Aerith, then at Cloud. "Thank you," she said before they both vanish with the wind.

Cloud stared at Aerith, although she had her back turned on him, she could feel the weight of his stare. She turned around and looked into his eyes, just like he was doing.

"Aerith…" Cloud gasped.

"Cloud," Aerith breathed.

"You're not staying, are you?" he asked. He sighed deeply.

"I came to see you, one last time," Aerith declared. "And to say… goodbye," she whispered. She walked closer to him and held his hands, but they just went through. She was fading away…

Cloud looked at her, hurt was in his eyes. "Why did this have to happen?" he asked softly.

Aerith slowly stepped back and said, "This is what was meant to be…" Aerith smiled before she finally disappeared.

Cloud looked up and fell on his knees. The necklace he had on around his neck bounced off and fell on the ground. He buried his face in his hands, crying.

--

Aerith watched as Cloud cried in the reflection in front of her. Tears slowly fell from her eyes and she clutched her chest. It was hurting her so much deep inside. 'I'm so sorry, Cloud," she thought.

"Aerith… is he important to you?" a voice from behind her asked. Aerith turned around and saw Holly, smiling at her.

"Yes," Aerith replied.

Ifalna came flying downwards, and landed beside Aerith. "Then go to him," she said as she placed her hands over her daughter's shoulders.

"How could I? I'm… lost…" Aerith whispered.

"You are not lost, Aerith. Have you forgotten? A part of you is inside Cloud. You are still there," Holly explained.

Aerith looked up at Holly and smiled. "But, how could I get back?" she asked.

"Follow your heart, Aerith… It will show you the way… back…" Ifalna said as she smiled.

Aerith put her hands together and lifted it up to her chest, right in front of her heart, and closed her eyes. She remembered every moment she had spent with Cloud, through the good and bad. What happened next surprised Aerith.

A bright, white light appeared from within Aerith. It then beamed outwards, towards the reflection in front of her. She looked back at Ifalna and Holly who were smiling at her. They nodded then disappeared into the darkness. Aerith took a deep breath before stepping towards the light.

--

Cloud was blinded by the bright light that appeared from the necklace beside him. He covered his eyes with his hands and tried to keep his eyes open. When everything went back to normal, Cloud saw the necklace beside him and put it back on.

Suddenly, the necklace beamed towards a dark part of the trees. There, a familiar figure standing near the dark part of the forest. The shade had covered her face, but he knew that she was smiling. He knew that smile very well.

"Aerith?" Cloud asked as he stood up. "Is that… really you?"

Aerith stepped out of the darkness and smiled even more at Cloud. "What do you think?" she asked.

Cloud ran towards Aerith and held her tight. "You're back!" he exclaimed. They broke apart and he looked into her emerald green eyes. "Are you leaving me again?" he asked.

Aerith giggled and shook her head. "I never left, Cloud. I'm your Guardian Angel, remember?" she said with a chuckle.

Cloud smiled and wrapped his arms around Aerith's waist. He pulled her closer to him and said, "I'm glad you're here."

Aerith tilted her head. "I was always here with you," she said.

Cloud held Aerith's cheek and slowly leaned over to kiss her. Aerith closed her eyes and kissed him too, wrapping her arms around his neck.

It was almost dawn, and the sunrise looked beautiful with the two lovers. They broke apart and hugged each other, both with smiles on their faces.

THE END

Or is it??


	11. Epilogue: Happy Years

Your Guardian Angel

cLerith raven:

hmm… weLL, this is it!! this is the real end… hehe…

this is an epiLogue…

**Your Guardian Angel**

Epilogue: Happy Years

It's been five years ever since Cloud had met Aerith. It's been five years ever since they managed to bring happiness back to Midgar after Sephitoh's rage. It's been five years ever since it all happened.

Cloud was walking down the gravel path in the palace garden. The warm breeze blew softly, and the leaves swayed with the flow of the wind. Cloud felt the warm sunlight on his skin as he traversed the walkway. He stopped right in the middle of the palace garden, in front of the water fountain which she had picked out. The water splashed and the drops sparkled in the sunlight. Suddenly, Cloud heard Marlene and Denzel running towards him and he turned around.

"Cloud!" Marlene and Denzel called out. Both have grown so much. Marlene still wore her hair in a braid, just like Aerith. And Denzel's hair was now spikier than before. Marlene now wore a cerise pink dress, and Denzel was wearing a black and red robe. They were holding a little boy, the son of Vincent and Lucrecia.

Cloud smiled at the children and said, "Hey, what are you doing here? And I see you've brought Cedric."

"Vincent and Lucrecia are back from their vacation," Marlene declared.

"And Cedric wanted to see you, so we brought him here," Denzel replied. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm… waiting for someone," Cloud replied. He bent over and picked up Cedric. They played for a while. Vincent and Lucrecia came, with their older daughter, Lyne, and they all talked for a while. After some time, they all left, and Cloud stayed behind.

Zack and Tifa were walking near the garden when they spotted Cloud, sitting alone near the fountain. "Hey, Cloud!" Zack called out as he ran towards him, holding Tifa's hands.

"Hey, aren't you two supposed to be arranging your wedding?" Cloud asked, tilting his head.

"That's why we were looking for you," Tifa began, "Aunt Elmyra was wondering if you'd agree that we have a beach wedding."

"And we're kinda having a hard time figuring out where the reception will be," Zack said, rubbing the back of his head. "Yuffie's been nagging me about it," he added with a chuckle.

Cloud shook his head, laughing. "It's your wedding, so go with whatever you both like," he said.

Tifa smiled then walked away, pulling Zack with her. They were teasing each other as they left. Cloud laughed, and then looked up at the sky.

'It's been so long ever since all the angels left the human world. How are you?' he thought as he closed his eyes.

Cloud suddenly opened his eyes when he felt someone grip his legs. He turned and saw a little girl with braided hair in a bow holding onto his leg. He smiled and picked her up.

"Hey, Aerine," he greeted the girl. She looked so much like her mother. Her eyes even had the same sparkle as her mother's.

"Daddy! I want chocolates," the four-year-old girl said. "Mommy said I should ask you," she added.

"Where is Mommy?" Cloud asked. Aerine pointed to a woman who was walking down the paved walkway, holding a two-year-old boy in her arms.

"Mommy!" Aerine called out as she ran towards her.

"Aerine, don't run!" Aerith cautioned her daughter. "Cloud, Sora's said his first word," she told him.

Cloud smiled and walked over to her. "Really? What did he say?" he asked, pinching the cheek of his son.

"Say it again, Sora," Aerith said.

"Da-ddy," Sora slowly said. Cloud smiled and carried him in his arms. Sora giggled each time Cloud stroked his neck.

"Mommy, I want to eat chocolates," Aerine said, tugging on Aerith's pink dress.

Aerith smiled and led Aerine back inside the palace. "Are you coming?" she asked Cloud.

"Yeah," Cloud replied. "I'll be inside in a minute," he added. Aerith nodded and continued walking inside.

Sora placed his hand on the necklace around his father's neck. Cloud smiled at the boy's curiosity.

"Sora, this was your mother's necklace," Cloud said. "And when your older, I'll give it to you," he added.

As if the boy understood, Sora smiled and rested his head on his father's chest. Cloud stroked his hair and kissed him on the forehead.

"Cloud?" Aerith called out from inside. "Come on, Aerine wants to go to the park," she announced.

"Coming," Cloud said as he walked over to Aerith. He wrapped an arm around Aerith waist and locked gazes with her. "But I have to do give you something first," he demanded.

"And what, pray tell, is that?" Aerith asked teasingly, tilting her head. Cloud leaned over to her and gave her a kiss on the lips.

"Happy anniversary," Cloud greeted when they parted.

Aerith smiled and said, "Happy anniversary." This time, it was Aerith who kissed Cloud. Aerine giggled at her parents' actions.

"And what are you giggling about, Aerine?" Cloud asked.

"Nothing," Aerine replied. She held her mother's hand and pulled her outside, evidently wanting to go.

Cloud shook his head, smiling, then followed behind them. Sora was now fast asleep in his arms.

'It's been five years already… Five happy years…' he thought as he walked out of the palace doors.

cLerith raven:

waaaah… d'you Like it??

it's just short, though… I hope it's nice enough… LOL…

weLL, it's been fun!!

pLease teLL me what you think, kay??

LAVYAH ALL!!


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